Voyager on the edge

The two Voyager space probes are in the news recently as they approach the edge of our solar system.  Scientist can tell that the Voyager's environments are changing.  They are receiving more high-energy particles streaming in from outside of our Solar system and have a lessening of  low-energy particles that originate from inside our solar system.  The two probes will soon pass into interstellar space and be the first manmade objects to leave our solar system. Engage your students in a discussion of this amazing feat as they convert between speed units, get experience with an astronomical unit (AU), and appreciate the great reaches of space and how much we have achieved..

This activity provides a lot of work with 7.RP.3.d, which is not always an easy standard to find examples of: Use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.