Unusual radio signal detected in the vicinity of the star HD 164595

[Kyle]

http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=36248

A candidate signal for SETI is a welcome sign that our efforts in that direction may one day pay off. An international team of researchers has announced the detection of “a strong signal in the direction of HD164595” in a document now being circulated through contact person Alexander Panov. The detection was made with the RATAN-600 radio telescope in Zelenchukskaya, in the Karachay–Cherkess Republic of Russia, not far from the border with Georgia in the Caucasus.

Star information:
Designation: HD 164595.
Dec/RA: +29° 34′ 18.92, 18h 00m 38.894s.
Constellation: Hercules
Star type: G2V
Age: ~4.5 Gyr.
Planets: 1 known, HD 164595 b.

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/signal...tm_source=plus.google.com&utm_campaign=buffer

From SETI researcher Seth Shostak.

“This is a bit of a puzzling story, as the Russians found this signal a year ago or so, but just didn’t let others know. That’s not good policy, as what you really want is confirmation at another telescope, but… Is it real? The signal may be real, but I suspect it’s not ET. There are other possibilities for a wide-band signal such as this, and they’re caused by natural sources (or even terrestrial interference).

“I just did a quick calculation of how much wattage they’d need to wield from 94 light-years (I think that’s the distance) in order to produce the apparently received signal, and that would be a big utility bill, even if they were directing the transmission (as opposed to broadcasting equally in all directions). It’s also the case that the known planet around the star is in an awfully tight orbit, which means it’s probably a place that’s hotter than Seattle’s best restaurant. Of course, there could be other planets there …

“So, not too much to say so far. However, we’re looking at this object with the Allen (not Alan) Telescope Array as I speak to you!”

 

[Andy44]

From the comments in that article:

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WRANGLERICK • a day ago





Hopefully its not a b&w film of Hitler.

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ectogamit > WRANGLERICK • 18 hours ago





Hopefully it's not a color film of Hitler......

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nursecarmen > ectogamit • 2 hours ago





Hopefully it's not Hitler.

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Frank Baird > nursecarmen • an hour ago





Hopefully it's not Hitler's brain.

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:lol: Oh, internet...

Also, that radio telescope is really cool-looking.

 

[GLS]

 

[Andy44]

Here's some info on that radio telescope: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RATAN-600

 

[Thunder Chicken]

One thing that I never considered before about SETI is that it really will only be able to detect civilizations that are really able to harness stellar levels of power and are willing to devote it to signaling others over long periods.

For all we know there could be identical Earths in every major star system, but they would all be invisible to us for the same reason we are invisible to them. If an Earth 2.0 identical to ours and populated with a species with the same technical capabilities were in orbit around Proxima Centauri, could we detect their presence?

If we ever do make contact with another civilization, they are going to be much more technologically advanced that us.

 

[Kyle]

SETI.org | A SETI Signal?

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Another factor in communication is bandwidth - a civilization could potentially hear a slow, weak signal from a greater distance if they listen for long enough. Maybe some civilizations will have a different concept of time where a millennium seems to be a second to them.

 

[boogabooga]

From SETI researcher Seth Shostak.

The signal may be real, but I suspect it’s not ET. There are other possibilities for a wide-band signal such as this, and they’re caused by natural sources (or even terrestrial interference)...I just did a quick calculation of how much wattage they’d need to wield from 94 light-years (I think that’s the distance) in order to produce the apparently received signal, and that would be a big utility bill, even if they were directing the transmission (as opposed to broadcasting equally in all directions).

This comment is from a SETI researcher? He sounds like an agnostic priest.

That's what I don't get about SETI. When you think about it, is seems irrational to expect an alien civilization to dedicate so many resources to sending the signal that SETI expects to receive. Even the people who are working on it are skeptical. The whole thing seems like a big case of wishful thinking to me.

 

[Keatah]

From the comments in that article:



:lol: Oh, internet...

Also, that radio telescope is really cool-looking.

Sure as hell looks like an atmospheric entry probe with a control cabin on top.

 

[steph]

The news are already saying that it's "a stone's throw away". Well, yeah...galactically speaking. Otherwise, it still takes two centuries for a simple hello.

Edit: the curse of the cosmic distances...even if a civilzation tries its best to scream out its presence in various electromagnetic spectra, it may be millenia before it is even heard, and even more before an answer can be received. And who knows how many alien species didn't hear it, not knowing how to listen or how to decipher it. And physically going from star to star takes even more time and enormous resources...

edit 2: then again, in the (really) long term, building autonomous, self-replicating high speed probes seems a more sensible choice....even a relatively high-tech civilization might miss a weak signal, while a probe is much more ...visible

 

[Artlav]

building autonomous, self-replicating high speed probes seems a more sensible choice....even a relatively high-tech civilization might miss a weak signal, while a probe is much more ...visible

...and so they became known as the ancient fools who thought themselves almost wise then turned the virgo supercluster into dust...

 

[Kyle]

Is a 2 second observation enough time to determine if the source's motion matched the sidereal motion of the star?