The Voyager Golden Record

In 1977, NASA launched two spacecraft called Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. Each one carries a golden record, like an old-fashioned music album. The records hold sounds, music, and pictures from Earth. They were made in case aliens ever find the spacecraft far out in space.

What Is on the Record

The Golden Record contains greetings in 55 different languages. It has sounds of nature, like thunder, birds, and whales. There is music from around the world, including classical, jazz, and folk songs. It also has 115 images showing life on Earth, including people, animals, and landscapes.

A Message to the Stars

The record comes with a stylus and instructions showing how to play it. The instructions use pictures and math that scientists hope aliens could understand. Voyager 1 is now the farthest human-made object from Earth. It is over 15 billion miles away and still moving. The records could last for billions of years in space.

Fun Facts

• The Voyager Golden Record includes the sound of a human heartbeat.
• Voyager 1 is more than 15 billion miles from Earth and still sending signals back.
• The record's cover has a map showing where Earth is in the galaxy.

Did You Know?

The Golden Record was put together by a team led by the famous scientist Carl Sagan. He wanted to create a time capsule of life on Earth.