Over the last 70 years, our understanding of the solar system has changed a lot thanks to space exploration. Many advanced spacecraft have been sent to examine Earth and explore distant worlds. Missions like the James Webb Space Telescope and Voyager 1 are famous, but do you know where they are right now?
As of October 2023, here’s an overview of where these incredible spacecraft are located, and what they’re doing up there.
James Webb Space Telescope — 907,000 miles (1.46 million km) from Earth
The James Webb Space Telescope launched on Christmas Day in 2021. Its mission is to study the early universe, observing star formation and other cosmic phenomena from Lagrange Point 2, a stable spot in space. This telescope is pivotal for understanding how the universe has evolved.
This month, you can find JWST by locating the red star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus. Scan the sky above until you spot the Pleiades star cluster. JWST will be about the width of three fingers below it.
Parker Solar Probe — 91 million miles (147.6 million km) from Earth
The Parker Solar Probe is the first spacecraft to fly into the sun’s corona, making groundbreaking observations of solar phenomena. As of now, it’s roughly 91 million miles from us.
To find it in the sky this month, locate the bright star Antares in Scorpius and look about 5 degrees above it. You’ll be gazing in the direction of the probe’s location.
NASA’s Juno — 464.8 million miles (748 million km) from Earth
Launched in 2011, NASA’s Juno spacecraft studies Jupiter’s atmosphere and magnetic field. This month, its distance from Earth stands at about 464.8 million miles.
To find Juno, look for the stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini, then seek the bright “morning star,” Jupiter, shining just beneath them.
New Horizons — 5.88 billion miles (9.46 billion km) from Earth
New Horizons was the first spacecraft to fly by Pluto and is now venturing into interstellar space. Its current distance is about 5.88 billion miles, and it’s gathering valuable data as it moves outward.
To spot its rough location in the sky, look for the “teapot” asterism in Sagittarius after sunset. New Horizons can be found to the upper right of the star Pi Sagittarii.
Voyager 1 — 15.72 billion miles (25 billion km) from Earth
Voyager 1, launched in 1977, is the most distant object made by humans, now about 15.72 billion miles away. It has crossed into interstellar space and carries the Golden Record, a time capsule of humanity.
Locating Voyager 1 involves first finding the constellation Ophiuchus. From there, look for the binary star system Rasalhague and Kappa Ophiuchi, and Voyager’s position lies along the line connecting these stars.
Exploring the skies and understanding our universe is a remarkable adventure. From tools like the JWST that peer into the deep past to the Parker Solar Probe, which literally touches the sun, each spacecraft brings us closer to understanding the cosmos. Don’t forget to use smartphone astronomy apps to help you discover these incredible missions this October!
