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about 46 years ago , NASAlaunched two pocket-size probe carry a brace of amber - plot copper records that would shortly become the farthest man - made objects from Earth ever created . The investigation — key out Voyager 1 and 2 — and their golden payloads are currently floatingmore than 12 billion miles(19 billion kilometers ) from Earth , and gaining distance every mean solar day . But this week , you’re able to add a master copy of those legendary records to your personal vinyl collection without even leaving your home — and all you need is half a million dollars .
On July 27,Sotheby ’s will auctiontwo double - sided reels of audio mag tape containing the master recordings of the Voyager Golden Record , cull from the personal aggregation of celebrity astronomer Carl Sagan and his married woman , Ann Druyan , both of whom helped with the platter ’s design and development in 1977 .
The two audio reels contain 27 songs, and 22 minutes of sounds and voices from around the world.
Like the Au - plated discs they begot , the headmaster tapes control 27 pieces of medicine intended to capsulise the populace ’s melodious heritage , include Beethoven , Chuck Berry , a Navajo chant and an Amerind vocal raga . The tapes also include 22 minutes of nature audio and human voices speak in 59 languages , all of which were designed as a sort of audio postcard for any potentiallyintelligent aliensthat might one daytime chance upon the Voyager probe . ( The probe also contain an audio player with lifelike command , and astar map showing the location of Earth . )
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" burst with the myriad speech sound of lifetime , Carl and I and our colleagues designed the Golden Record to be a will to the mantrap of being alive on Earth , " Druyan , who was the originative manager of NASA ’s Voyager Interstellar Message Project that bring forth the records , said in a Sotheby ’s assertion . " We hoped it would capture the richness and diversity of our world . "
The cover art and label of the Voyager Golden Record, from 1977.
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Only eight copy of the records were ever made , including the two gold - plated edition nowriding through interstellar spaceon the Voyager probes . bid for the skipper tapes begins at $ 300,000 , and Sotheby ’s wait them to bring up to $ 600,000 . Bidding closes at 11:20 a.m. ET on July 27 .
For those of us not looking to pass half a million , NASA has provided thefull track leaning , and there are numerous playlists of the track record ’s message available on YouTube and euphony teem platforms . Take a listen — and hope , for a moment , that aliveness in another star system may one day encounter the same jams .
