Voyager reaches destination

Do you know the answers to these questions? Read the text to find the answers.

1. What’s the name of the spacecraft that flew past Neptune?

2. What’s the name of one of Neptune’s moons?

 

After 12 years and 4.43 billion miles, the unmanned spacecraft Voyager 2 reached its final destination, the blue planet Neptune.

The Voyager has flown through the solar system and has spent spectacular photos of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and now Neptune to the eager astronomers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

The Voyager will continue to send data about Neptune for a few days, but the pictures seen today have amazed scientists. They are surprised-and delighted-by the amount of information the Voyager has given them about the solar system, although they have not had time to analyse the new information and pictures.

It is interesting that Neptune, which is 2.8 billion miles form earth, was only discovered 144 years ago.

The biggest surprise to the astronomers came when they saw photographs of Triton, Neptune’s blue and pink moon. “Triton” said one of the astronomers, “is the most interesting thing we have ever seen.”

Now look at the text again and write the question to go with answers.

1. Where________________________________________________?

Neptune.

2. When_________________________________________________?

In 1977.

3. How long______________________________________________?

12 years.

4. How long______________________________________________?

144 years ago.

5. What_________________________________________________?

Spectacular photos and data.

6. Why__________________________________________________?

Because they haven’t had time.

KEY

1. Voyager

2. Triton

1. Where did the spacecraft go/travel to?

2. When did Voyager 2 reach its final destination?

3. How long did it take to reach the planet Neptune?

4. How long ago was Neptune discovered?

5. What has the Voyager sent to the earth?

6. Why haven’t they analyse the new information?