What valuable information did the Voyager missions provide?

The Voyager missions, launched in 1977, were groundbreaking in their exploration of the outer planets of our solar system and the interstellar medium. They provided a wealth of data that significantly enhanced our understanding of the gas giants—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—as well as their moons and rings. For instance, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 captured detailed images and gathered information about the atmospheres, magnetic fields, and numerous moons of these distant planets, revealing complex meteorological phenomena and unique geological features.

Moreover, after completing their primary missions, both spacecraft continued to travel beyond the outer planets and into the interstellar medium, where they started sending back invaluable data about this region of space. Their measurements have helped scientists better understand the characteristics of interstellar space, including the solar wind and cosmic rays. This data has deepened our comprehension of the environment beyond our solar system.

The other choices, while related to space exploration, do not directly pertain to the core achievements of the Voyager missions. Black hole formations, cosmic background radiation, and new asteroid belts were subjects of other research efforts and missions. Thus, the contribution of the Voyager missions is best exemplified by their extensive data regarding the outer planets and the interstellar medium.