How many photons are received per bit transmitted from Voyager 1?

There are about 10 photons received per bit transmitted from Voyager 1, which is like getting just a few drops of water in a big ocean, it's very faint, but still enough to send messages across space.

Voyager 1 sends messages using radio waves. These are like invisible ripples that travel through the air (or space) and can be picked up by antennas on Earth. Each message is made of many tiny pieces called bits, which are either a "0" or a "1", just like how we count in everyday life.

But as Voyager goes farther away, those ripples get weaker, it's like whispering across a big room. When the signal reaches Earth, only about 10 photons make it to our antennas for every bit sent. That’s not many, but it’s enough because the computers on Earth are really good at picking up weak signals.

Imagine you and your friend each have a set of blocks, one red block is a "1", and one blue block is a "0". You send them across the room by flicking them gently. Even though only a few make it, your friend can still read the message because they know what color means what. That’s how Voyager sends messages, with just a few faint ripples of light!