The findings were published May 6 in the International Journal of Astrobiology. This could include things such as traces of industrial pollution in their atmospheres or signs of beings which have advanced technology. The next step would involve a more intensive search around the star and its solar system.Īny planets that may be found could then be searched for signs of life. No planets have yet been detected in orbit around the star but the discovery could be the first step in humanity’s search for other civilisations in space. It is thought that a signal sent from such a vast distance would take centuries to reach us. However, the amount of time it would take for the signal to reach Earth means more investigating needs to be done. Speaking to Live Science, Caballero concluded that the search for the signal is also a search “for life as we know it." The signal was a narrow-band radio wave typically associated with human-made objects, which led scientists to entertain the thrilling possibility that it came from alien technology. The star is located 1,800 light-years from Earth and has a solar analogue that makes it the most likely candidate region for an alien signal. Listed as 2MASS 19281982-2640123, the star is a close match to our own in terms of its size and energy output. One of the potential sources was identified because of its similarities to the Sun. He also looked at G-type stars which are similar to our own Sun. He examined each star in the two areas looking for K-type star systems which are thought to be hospitable to life. Researchers have speculated whether the 'Wow!' signal was a message from a distant alien civilisation The astronomer narrowed the search down to two areas where the signal may have come from. The mission used a billion-pixel camera to capture pictures of our galaxy in amazing detail. He has isolated a star which is roughly the same size as our Sun where he thinks the signal came from.Ĭaballero took on the arduous task of combing through images collected by the European Space Agency's Gaia mission. What the message means and exactly where it came from remains unknown but researchers monitoring the skies for signs of alien life have long speculated that it could have been Earth’s first contact with another form of life.Īnd now 45 years after the message was spotted there may finally be an explanation of where it came from.Īlberto Caballero is an astronomer who believes he has found the signal's source. It is still considered to be one of the best signals picked up by SETI telescopes. Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Big Ear Radio Observatory and North American Astrophysical Observatory)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |