Astronomers Are Already Planning for the Next 'Pale Blue Dot'

In 1977, humans launched twin robotic probes into space several weeks apart. The two Voyager spacecraft barreled away from Earth for a tour of our planet’s siblings in the solar system. At each encounter, the Voyagers set records for the best-looking pictures of these planets humanity had ever taken, far better than anything seen through a telescope. There was , furiously churning with gargantuan storms. There was , encircled by vinyl-like rings. There was , robin’s-egg blue and featureless. There was , cloud-speckled and cerulean.