Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. More than 9 light hours distant, Pioneer 10 is presently about twice as far from the Sun as Pluto , bound for interstellar space at 28,000 miles per hour. Pioneer 10's mission is nearing an end - now exploring the distant reaches of the heliosphere it will soon run out of sufficient electrical power to operate science instruments. However, the 570 lb. spacecraft will continue to coast and in 30,000 years or so it will pass within about 3 light years of a nearby star . The star itself, a faint red dwarf known as Ross 248, is just over 10 light years distant in the constellation of Taurus .
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