Let's establish some meaningful coordinates for everyone to agree on first. I recall (just) that "galactic north" is the "right hand rule thumbs up" direction of one curls the fingers of the right hand in the direction of galactic rotation. If this is so, then let us all use that convention. So, galactic west then would be in the direction opposite of Sol's rotational direction in the plane normal to the galactic polar axis and containing Sol. We can use either cylindrical or spherical coordinates for fun too. With a clear North, I favor cylindrical for discussion. Now, WHERE do we assign our Zero for the Solar path?... Fun stuff!
As a novice some of the comments above are over my head. A couple questions. Is the plane of our solar system on the same plane as the galaxy or is it tilted? Are the Voyager spacecraft moving in the same direction of travel as the solar system or in other words out ahead of the direction of travel of the sun?
i think with celestial "galactic north" ya kinda gotta use "spherical" coordinate system for best results.
but id observe its simpler than that. all planets are orbiting counter-clockwise along Sol "equator", whole Sol system doing same thing (more or less) along galactic "equator"
the heliosphere (the big elliptical bubble around the Sol system and its spherical influence zone) doesent care where it is along either "equator". we can still assume its an eliptical sphere-ish shape with its long side (streaming away from Sol system vector) anywhere along the 360 degrees of the Sol & galactic equator.
boil all that down im still with Turboomni's observation. on fratzogs questions:
1. yes the Sol system is roughly along the galactic equator BUT over the circum-navigation around the galactic center some times its a few degrees over/under the planar. theory is when its over/under the planar, gamma and other radiation from galactic center is responsible for mass extinctions on Earth. And yeah, data suggests Sol system is tilted vs galactic planar "equator" ... whether it crosses any Sol planetary orbit? i dunno .. maybe IF this "sine-wave-like" movement of the Sol system is true.
2. The V'gers are following whatever exit vector they were originally on, relative to Sol, and the whole kit & kaboodle moving CClockwise around the 4M Sol mass Black Hole at Milky Way center. they leave the heliosphere no matter what .. but at different galactic "coordinates" ahead or behind (i dunno which without a coordinate system and their respective exit trajectories and a smart person to render it) where Sol is, on same planar, vs the galactic center.
i know ...sounds like "double talk" and honestly were getting deep with the coordinate thing.
we just gotta keep in mind EVERYTHING we see in the night sky is moving. even the interstellar space all around the Sol System (and here on Earth where we are observing it all).
the V'Gers there, in that void, still rappin' with us with its primitive technology vs. today, is friggin' spectacular.
