The Voyagers' Grand Tour
1977-1989 AD
1977 1977
80.42W28.39N
SCI

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA
	Once every 175 years the outer planets of our solar system line up.  In 1977, to take advantage of that rare alignment, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched two space probes, called Voyager 1 and Voyager 2.
	Voyager 1 swung past Jupiter and Saturn, and Voyager 2 visited Jupiter and Saturn, plus Uranus and Neptune.  The spacecraft took pictures of Jupiter's red spot and moons, Saturn's rings, the cold surface of Uranus and finally, in 1989, Voyager 2 sailed past Neptune and is now on its way towards the edge of our solar system.
	Each of the spacecraft has a 12-foot antenna to beam information back to Earth from their cameras and other instruments.  Also, each has a gold-plated copper recording of sounds from earth, just in case someone from another planet should happen upon it.