Voyager 1 will travel this far in 1 million years — let that sink in. Voyager 1 is the furthest human made object in existence and it is currently screaming through the void at 38,000 miles per hour (61,155 kilometers per hour). Launched in 1977, the spacecraft has already crossed the heliopause, the boundary where the sun’s solar wind meets the interstellar medium. It is now more than 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) away from Earth. To put that in perspective, a radio signal traveling at the speed of light takes over 22 hours to reach us from the craft. While it seems like Voyager has traveled an impossible distance, it has barely scratched the surface of the cosmos. In about 300 years, it will reach the inner edge of the Oort Cloud, a vast shell of icy objects surrounding our solar system. It will take another 30,000 years just to fly out the other side. The red line on a galactic map representing Voyager’s path over the next 1 million years is surprisingly short. Even at its incredible speed, space is so vast that the craft remains a slow mover on a cosmic scale. In about 40,000 years, Voyager 1 will pass within 1.6 light years (9.4 trillion miles or 15 trillion kilometers) of the star AC plus 79 3888 in the constellation Camelopardalis. After that, it will continue to drift through the Milky Way for millions, perhaps billions, of years. Because the vacuum of interstellar space is so empty, the chances of Voyager hitting an asteroid or a planet are nearly zero. It is effectively immortal, destined to outlast the very civilization that built it. Inside the craft sits the Golden Record, a copper phonograph record containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. It is a message in a bottle cast into the cosmic ocean. Even when its plutonium power source finally dies in the coming years, silencing its instruments forever, the craft will remain a silent monument to human curiosity. We are a species that dared to reach into the dark, leaving a permanent mark on the galaxy that will endure long after our own sun begins its final transformation.
It’s Friday the 13th! Another “unlucky” day is upon us, which means fears and anxiety are bubbling, but there’s no need to fret. A Friday (the 13th) is better than Monday, right?
Here’s some spooky Friday the 13th superstitions, origin stories and more to keep you on your toes today.
Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky? Here’s Friday the 13th origin, history
The exact origin of how Friday the 13th became associated with bad luck is a bit, well, murky, with several ancient beliefs. For one, it could be associated with an 1834 article published in a French magazine where the author spoke of a Sicilian count who killed his daughter on Friday the 13th, according to Britannica. In it, the author wrote, “It is always Fridays and the number 13 that bring bad luck!”
There are also biblical connections to the day. In the Bible, Judas, who is believed to have betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest at the Last Supper. The next day, Good Friday, Jesus was crucified. Friday is also associated with bad luck, which was believed to be the day Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, the day Cain murdered Abel, the day the Temple of Solomon was destroyed and the day the Great Flood began.
Here’s some Friday the 13th superstitions, myths, facts, more
Don’t let this list get you spooked, as it’s all in good fun, but here are some superstitions and myths that have brewed over the years:
Walking under a ladder: This superstition comes from the belief that a ladder forms a triangle with the wall and that by stepping through it, evil may befall you.
Breaking a mirror: Breaking a mirror is said to bring seven years of bad luck.
Black cats: The black cat is associated with witches and bad omens, and it is considered bad luck if one crosses your path on Friday the 13th. Of course, we all know the furry feline is adorable no matter their color and cats were even considered sacred by Egyptians.
Spilling salt: The superstition is that if you spill salt, tossing it over your left shoulder with your right hand will counteract any evil spirits.
Bad luck comes in “3s”: Several theories behind the belief that when something bad happens, then another, you will always wait for the third “shoe to drop,” so to say.
Knock on wood, or touch wood: This is a popular one; you say you “never get sick” or you’re “car has never broken down” and boom: you immediately search for wood to give it a few taps. It is believed this originated with the Druids, who believed divinity involved nature and the trees were their gods, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
Opening an umbrella indoors: There are several beliefs as to why this will bring bad luck, but some suggest opening one inside away from direct sunlight was offensive to the Sun god, whom many worshipped.
Crossing your fingers: Another popular one that stems from the belief bad luck is trapped at the point where the two fingers meet when we cross our fingers. By crossing them, we prevent bad luck from escaping.
Where is Friday the 13th good luck?
In Italy, the number 17 — not the number 13 — is considered unlucky because the Roman number XVII reminds Italians of the Latin phrase “I have lived,” meaning “My life is over,” according to ThoughtCo.
Other cultures may have viewed the number 13 as lucky, including the ancient Egyptians, the Mayans and the Chinese, who believe the numbers 1 and 3 symbolize positivity.
What is the fear of Friday the 13th called?
Fear of Friday the 13th can cause some people anxiety and fear, a term psychologist Donald Dossey called paraskevidekatriaphobia — derived from the Greek words Paraskevi (Friday), triskaideka (thirteen) and phobos (fears), according to Britannica. It sometimes is called friggatriskaidekaphobia, which combines Frigg (the Norse goddess for whom Friday is named) and triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13).
When is the next Friday the 13th in 2026?
Friday the 13th occurs at least once a year and sometimes up to three times a year. It only happened once in 2025 but there will be three Friday the 13ths in 2026. The next Friday the 13th will be March 13, 2026.
Thanks to Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
I FIRST STARTED READING THIS EMAIL & WAS READING FAST UNTIL I REACHED THE THIRD SENTENCE. I STOPPED AND STARTED OVER READING SLOWER AND THINKING ABOUT EVERY WORD. THIS EMAIL IS VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING. MAKES YOU STOP AND THINK.
READ SLOWLY!
You know … Time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married, and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.
But, here it is… The 5th set of my life and it catches me by surprise…How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?
I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that I was only in the first set and the end of the match was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.
But, here it is…my friends are retired and getting grey…they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me…but, I see the great change….Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant…but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we’d become.
Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore… it’s mandatory! Cause if I don’t on my own free will… I just fall asleep where I sit!
And so…now I enter into this last set of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though I made it to the fifth set, and I’m not sure how long it will last.. I could get lucky and take this match into overtime . . . . but this I know, that when it’s over on this earth…it’s over. A new adventure will begin! Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn’t done…things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I’m happy to have done.
It’s all in a lifetime.
So, if you’re not in the fifth set yet …let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don’t put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether you’re in the fifth set or not!
You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life….so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember…and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!
“Life” is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one. LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! HAVE A GREAT DAY Remember “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
LASTLY, CONSIDER THIS:
~Your kids are becoming you……but your grandchildren are perfect!
~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!
~You forget names….But it’s OK because some people forgot they even knew you!!!
~You realize you’re never going to get any better at anything like tennis….you just want to keep the ball in play a little longer.
~The things you used to care to do, you aren’t as interested in anymore, but you really don’t care that you aren’t as interested.
~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV ‘ON’ than in bed. It’s called “pre-sleep”.
~You miss the days when everything worked with just an “ON” and “OFF” switch..
~You tend to use more 4 letter words … “what?”…”when?”…???
~You notice everything they sell in stores that’s your size … doesn’t fit anymore”?
~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.
~Everybody whispers.
~You have several sizes of clothes in your closet….most of which you will never wear.
~~~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!
Stay well, “OLD FRIEND!” Send this on to other “Old Friends!” and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!!! It’s Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN; YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE, SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS
Loren Berg's Blog 