Voyager Golden Records are audio and visual recordings placed by NASA in 1977 on the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft. Both being information discs, these records contain basic information about Earth and humanity and were prepared with the aim of communicating if the spacecraft were to encounter other civilizations.

Consisting of gold-plated copper discs, each 30 cm in diameter, the content of these recordings includes various sounds, music, and visuals representing world culture and the diversity of human societies.

^{Voyager Golden Record} 

Information on the Protective Cover of the Golden Records

The information on the protective cover of the Voyager Golden Records, along with symbols and graphics, includes the following elements:

1. Playback Instructions: Instructions on how to play the record are given in binary code. Here, the record speed is given as 16 2/3 rpm (16 2/3 rotations per minute).
2. Diagram of the Hydrogen Atom: The fundamental energy state of the hydrogen atom (21 cm wavelength) is shown, providing a universal time unit reference.
3. Pulsar Map: A diagram showing the positions and frequencies of 14 pulsars in the Milky Way Galaxy is included. This map is designed to determine Earth's position in the galaxy.
4. Binary Coded Information: Codes indicating the record's starting point and signal structure are present.
5. Silhouette Diagram: Drawings showing the proportions and structure of human figures are included.
6. Message: The following message has been added to the protective cover:

"This is a present from a small, distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts, and our feelings. We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours."^【2】 

(This is a gift from a small, distant world; a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts, and our feelings. We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours.)

This message was added to emphasize humanity's peaceful intent and cultural heritage.

Content

The record offers a wide range of content:

1. Greetings and Languages: "Hello" and greetings in 55 different languages.
2. Nature Sounds: Earth's natural sounds, such as bird songs, wind, ocean waves, and waterfalls.
3. Music: Music from many cultures across Earth is included. These include Western classical music by composers like Bach, Beethoven, and traditional melodies from the East and Africa.
4. Visuals: Photographs and drawings containing information such as people, animals, plants, nature, and scientific data. These depict general information about the human race and life on Earth.
5. Mathematics and Physics: Scientific information such as a map showing Earth's location, atomic numbers, and graphical representations of chemical structures.

^{Some Images from the Record} 

Disk-1 Contents

1. "Greetings from UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim" - 0:44
2. "Greetings in 55 Languages" (by Various Artists) - 3:46
3. "United Nations Greetings/ Whale Songs" (by Various Artists) - 4:04
4. "Sounds of Earth" (by Various Artists) - 12:19
5. "Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, F Major, BWV 1047: I. Allegro" (by Munich Bach Orchestra/Karl Richter) - Johann Sebastian Bach - 4:44
6. "Ketawang: Puspåwarnå (Kinds of Flowers)" (by Pura Paku Alaman Palace Orchestra/K.R.T. Wasitodipuro) - Mangkunegara IV - 4:47
7. "Cengunmé" (by Mahi musicians of Benin) - 2:11
8. "Alima Song" (by Mbuti from the Ituri Rainforest) - 1:01
9. "Barnumbirr (Morning Star) and Moikoi Song" (by Tom Djäwa, Mudpo, and Waliparu, recorded by Sandra LeBrun Holmes) - 1:29
10. "El Cascabel" (by Antonio Maciel and Los Aguilillas, Mariachi México de Pepe Villa/Rafael Carrión) - Lorenzo Barcelata - 3:20
11. "Johnny B. Goode" - Chuck Berry - 2:41
12. "Mariuamangɨ" (by Pranis Pandang and Kumbui, Nyaura Clan) - 1:25
13. "Sokaku-Reibo (Depiction of Cranes in Their Nest)" (by Goro Yamaguchi) - 5:04
14. "Partita for Violin Solo No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: III. Gavotte en Rondeau" (by Arthur Grumiaux) - Johann Sebastian Bach - 2:58
15. "The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte), K. 620, Act II: Hell's Vengeance Boils in My Heart" (by Edda Moser/Bavarian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus/Wolfgang Sawallisch) - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - 3:00
16. "Chakrulo" (by Georgian State Merited Folk Song and Dance Ensemble (Director: Anzor Kavsadze)) - 2:21

Disk-2 Contents

1. "Roncadoras and Drums" (by Musicians from Ancash) - 0:55
2. "Melancholy Blues" (by Louis Armstrong and Hot Seven) - Marty Bloom and Walter Melrose - 3:06
3. "Muğam" (by Kamil Jalilov) - 2:35
4. "The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps), Part II—The Sacrifice: VI. Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)" (by Columbia Symphony Orchestra/Igor Stravinsky) - Igor Stravinsky - 4:38
5. "Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV 870" (by Glenn Gould) - Johann Sebastian Bach - 4:51
6. "Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Opus 67: I. Allegro Con Brio" (by Philharmonia Orchestra/Otto Klemperer) - Ludwig van Beethoven - 8:49
7. "Izlel e Delyu Haydutin" (by Valya Balkanska) - 5:04
8. "Navajo Night Chant, Yeibichai Dance" (by Ambrose Roan Horse, Chester Roan, and Tom Roan) - 1:01
9. "Fairie Round" (by Early Music Consort of London/David Munrow) - Anthony Holborne - 1:19
10. "Naranaratana Kookokoo (Cry of the Megapod Bird)" (by Chieftainship Tribes of Maniasinimae and Taumaetarau) - 1:15
11. "Wedding Song" (by a young girl from Huancavelica, recorded by John Cohen) - 0:42
12. "Liu Shui (Flowing Streams)" (by Guan Pinghu) - 7:36
13. "Bhairavi: Jaat Kahan Ho" - Kesarbai Kerkar - 3:34
14. "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" - Blind Willie Johnson - 3:32
15. "String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Opus 130: V. Cavatina (Ludwig van Beethoven)" (by Budapest Quartet) - 5:47

Turkish Greeting Phrase on the Record

The greeting message included in the recording in Turkish is, "Sayın Türkçe bilen arkadaşlarımız, sabah-ı şerifiniz hayrolsun". This phrase is a traditional greeting used in Turkish culture in the mornings and means "Good morning" (literally "May your blessed morning be good"). Since the purpose of the recording is to carry the diversity of world cultures as a message to the universe, Turkish was also included as part of this cultural diversity.

Purposes of the Golden Record

Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were the first human-made objects sent into interstellar space. The Golden Record aimed to convey the existence of Earth and humanity to a potential alien civilization. Additionally, this record served as an important time capsule for human history; meaning, even if humanity were to cease to exist in the future, this record would continue its presence in space.

^{A Photo from the Production Phase of the Record} 

Current Distance of the Spacecraft Carrying the Golden Record

The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, carrying the Golden Record, exited the Solar System and reached interstellar space after being launched in 1977.

Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to exit the heliosphere and enter the interstellar medium in 2012. Currently, Voyager 1 is approximately 25 billion kilometers away and continues to move further from Earth.

Voyager 2, on the other hand, crossed the heliosphere and entered interstellar space in 2018. It is currently approximately 21 billion kilometers away.

Both spacecraft continue to operate with low power consumption and are still transmitting scientific data. However, it takes approximately 22 hours for communication signals from Voyager 1 to reach Earth, and approximately 18 hours for Voyager 2.

Scientific and Cultural Significance

Beyond being merely a communication tool, the Golden Record has become an important cultural symbol, representing human history and culture. Over time, it has garnered significant interest among scientists, philosophers, and artists, and for some, this endeavor can be seen as an attempt to acknowledge humanity's solitude in the universe and to establish a greater connection within it.

Beyond being a message transmitted into space, the Golden Record is a symbolic representation carrying deep cultural and philosophical meanings for humanity.