Aliens calling? Signals detected from beyond Solar System

by Marcelo232323 | August 15, 2008 at 05:42 pm

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Aliens calling? Signals detected from beyond Solar System

Scientists in South Africa have detected radio signals from beyond the solar system for the first time – prompting a wave of excitement over who, or what, might have sent it. The signal is the most significant of its kind since radio telescopes started operating in the 1960s.

The discovery was made by the Indlebe Radio Telescope at Durban’s Technology University.

A strong radio signal, possibly of alien origin, was detected at around 21:14 local time on July 28. It came from Sagittarius A, the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy, approximately 30,000 light years away.

The received data will shortly be made available to experts who can use it to create a graph.

Project leader Stuart MacPherson said he and his students were amazed when they realised the telescope had picked up a signal.

“We had made significant changes to the receiver to increase its sensitivity,” he said. “When we went in that morning to check the data, we found that it had detected a source. It’s unbelievable. It’s definitely a great relief for us because now we know that the radio telescope works.”

However, as the hardware used in the radio telescope has been designed by students and constructed on campus, the receipt of the signal still needs confirmation.

The Indlebe project, which takes it name from the Zulu for ‘ear’, was initiated in 2006. It uses a highly sensitive radio receiver to detect extra terrestrial radio sources.

Alien Message translated : "OMG ur So DUM"

....we are silly creatures us humans. good story heads up!

Marcelo232323, I like this story. "SIGNALS BEYOND SOLAR SYSTEM"? to my knowledge 250 bn galaxies out there ( I wanted always to know what is beyond solar? the number is amazing, but true ), why not having at least one signal that we can receive on our frequencies.

Here is the original press release from the Indlebe radio telescope website at the Durban University of Technology:

..."DUT Indlebe Radio Telescope Sees First Light

On the evening of 28th July 2008, at 21h14 local time the Indlebe Radio Telescope, situated on the Steve Biko campus of the Durban University of Technology, successfully detected its first radio source from beyond the solar system. A strong source was detected from Sagittarius A, the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy, approximately 30 thousand light years away.

It should be noted that this is not an intelligent source, i.e. it is not a source that could be considered as having been transmitted by alien intelligence. Furthermore, it is certainly not a new discovery. The electromagnetic radiation emanating from Sagittarius A is well documented and an entirely natural phenomenon. A similar signal, although of a much larger magnitude, would be received by simply pointing the telescope at the Sun.

However, to put this achievement into perspective, the energy gained by a grain of rice falling 2 cm in the earth’s gravity to a plate is more than the total energy received by all the radio telescopes in the world operating since 1960. This means that very sensitive radio receiving equipment is required to detect these faint sources."... see more

Marcelo232323, I like this story. It's good stuff.

The received data will shortly be made available to experts who can use it to create a graph.

I would suggest this exerpt be re-written to correct what must undoubtedly be an editorial oversight to read as follows

The received data will shortly be made available to experts who can then use their considerable skills to completely obfuscate the situation and totally discredit the data.

I mean, why are experts needed to create a graph? Anybody with one course of high-school algebra could do that ...

"have detected radio signals from beyond the solar system for the first time"

The first time? Really? I guess all those decades of radio-astronomy has finally paid off, then.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica's entry on Sagittarius A:

"Strongest source of cosmic radio waves from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. The source has been identified as the nucleus of the Milky Way Galaxy. Most of the radio radiation is from a synchrotron mechanism, indicating the presence of free electrons and magnetic fields; this compact point source is designated Sagittarius A*"

Even as an ardent supporter of the SETI project, I'm not holding my breath onthis one

First Flagged at 5:55 PM, Aug 15, 2008 by World_Groove

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Aliens calling? Signals detected from beyond Solar System

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