GoodJoy 444 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 The Wow! signal was a strong narrowbandradio signal detected by Jerry R. Ehman on August 15, 1977, while he was working on aSETI project at the Big Ear radio telescope ofThe Ohio State University, then located atOhio Wesleyan University's Perkins Observatory in Delaware, Ohio.[1] The signal bore the expected hallmarks of non-terrestrialand non-Solar System origin. It lasted for the full 72-second window that Big Ear was able to observe it, but has not been detected again. The signal has been the subject of significant media attention. Amazed at how closely the signal matched the expected signature of an interstellar signal in the antennaused, Ehman circled the signal on the computer printout and wrote the comment "Wow!" on its side. This comment became the name of the signal.[1] Speculation on the signal's origin[edit source | editbeta]Interstellar scintillation of a weaker continuous signal—similar in effect to atmospheric twinkling—could be an explanation, but that would not exclude the possibility of the signal being artificial in origin. But even the significantly more sensitive Very Large Array could not detect the signal, and the probability that a signal below the Very Large Array level could be detected by the Big Ear due to interstellar scintillation is low.[5]Other speculations include a rotating lighthouse-like source, a signal sweeping in frequency, or a one-time burst.[8] Ehman has voiced doubts that the signal was of intelligent extraterrestrial origin: "We should have seen it again when we looked for it 50 times. Something suggests it was an Earth-sourced signal that simply got reflected off a piece of space debris."[9] He later recanted his skepticism somewhat, after further research showed an Earth-borne signal to be very unlikely, given the requirements of a space-borne reflector being bound to certain unrealistic requirements to sufficiently explain the signal.[10] Also, the 1420 MHz signal is problematic in itself in that it is "protected spectrum": bandwidth reserved for astronomical purposes in which terrestrial transmitters are forbidden to transmit.[11][12] In his most recent writings, Ehman resists "drawing vast conclusions from half-vast data"—acknowledging the possibility that the source may have been military or otherwise a product of Earth-bound humans. Scientists say that if the signal came from extraterrestrials, they are likely to be an extremely advanced civilization, as the signal would have required a 2.2-gigawatt transmitter, vastly more powerful than any on Earth.[13] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pretyme494 19,266 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I thought this thread is going to be about Bom and Top because of the word ALIEN. /silly me/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mononoke 151 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I think it's a signal for you to return to your planet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plush-cthulhu 4,472 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Scientists say that if the signal came from extraterrestrials, they are likely to be an extremely advanced civilization, as the signal would have required a 2.2-gigawatt transmitter, vastly more powerful than any on Earth.[13] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mako Yagami 4,462 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Id insert the Alien face crop circle here but I'm too lazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sane 16,342 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 It's unlikely that they'd be able to pick up an alien transmission with their equipment unless it was aimed deliberately at us, and since there hasn't been any contact since... well, I don't think it was an alien signal lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stop 1,373 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 whAT........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spamer1MFK 20 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I wish aliens would send a signal, and I hope that the message is that rappers need to stop talking about being aliens and having spaceships. That shit is lame. *cough Lil Wayne cough* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jany 4,154 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I thought this thread is going to be about Bom and Top because of the word ALIEN. /silly me/ Lol! me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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