OSETI in the news
OSETI in the news
Probably not new to most of you here. There is an article published in ST today on the work done on OSETI. Did a google search on OSETI and found an interesting site from a member from UC Berkley. See http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/~pauld/oseti/info/. The software he mentions here, does it make it possible for GOTO owners to participate, even with a relatively small scope?
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chris shaw
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Got this from CNA on 20th Oct 2003
CALIFORNIA : You may have heard astronomers use the term "SETI" - it stands for the search for extra terrestrial intelligence.
Now, scientists have started the "O-SETI" programme, the "optical" search for extra terrestrial intelligence.
They are using the newest laser technology to detect signs of other intelligent life in the universe.
For more than 40 years, astronomers have been listening for sounds of other life out there.
But maybe just listening hasn't been enough.
Dan Werthimer, Director UC Berkeley OSETI Programme, said: "I've been searching for ET for 25 years, mostly searching for radio waves. Obviously we haven't found anything yet, so we said, "let's try something different." So that's when we started looking for these optical signals."
Today, researchers are using laser technology to try to see what else might be out there.
Werthimer added: "We're trying to answer the question, are we alone, is anybody out there? Maybe other civilizations, if they're out there, are sending us signals. Might be radio signals, television signals, but another kind of signal would be a laser signal. Maybe they're sending a laser beam in our direction."
Powerful telescopes are looking for bright fleeting flashes of laser light that could be messages from faraway stars.
Werthimer said: "We're looking for a thing that's a billionth of a second long. So we need some very high speed detectors, they're called photo multiplier tubes... and we have some very high speed electronics, we have three detectors, and when all three of these detectors see this bright flash of light, we say, "aha!" that's exciting!"
This optical telescope studies between 30 and 50 stars each night.
And if anyone does send one of those ultra-short-laser messages, this telescope should see it.
So far... only a few false alarms.
Remington Stone, Research Astronomer, said: "The first thing is that we suspect there's something wrong with the equipment, we'll ask our sister observatory to look at the same star at the same time with us.
"If these two observatories however far apart we are, 50, 75 miles apart, see a subsequent flash at the same specific time with a wide geographical separation, then we can't think its anything local. We'll be pretty well convinced at that point that it's probably something at least extraterrestrial."
There is a broad range of random radio waves, and they're easy to pick up across a broad stretch of universe.
But a laser telescope can only detect a message that's aimed directly at us.
Frank Drake, Director of SETI Institute, said: "The prime differences between radio and optical SETI are that radio can detect a great variety of signals, and in particular... those signals those civilizations may send into space for their own purposes. In contrast OSETI only succeeds if the other civilization is intentionally signaling us."
Stone added: "We may not be guessing at all what a truly advanced civilization will do. But it makes sense, this is one way it could be done, so I think for such a highly exciting potential pay off we'd be fools for not to be trying to look for such a signal."
Astronomers hope they can expand their technology to study large portions of the sky instead of just one star at a time.
And they're optimistic, that someone, someday... will discover other extraterrestrial intelligent life.
Stone said: "It's such an exciting possibility that it's worth the effort I think in any case. As long as there's a shred of possibility, then I think that we should pursue it."
You have to be an optimist to do this work, and one of those scientific optimists guesses that we could receive an extraterrestrial message... within the next 20 years. - CNA
CALIFORNIA : You may have heard astronomers use the term "SETI" - it stands for the search for extra terrestrial intelligence.
Now, scientists have started the "O-SETI" programme, the "optical" search for extra terrestrial intelligence.
They are using the newest laser technology to detect signs of other intelligent life in the universe.
For more than 40 years, astronomers have been listening for sounds of other life out there.
But maybe just listening hasn't been enough.
Dan Werthimer, Director UC Berkeley OSETI Programme, said: "I've been searching for ET for 25 years, mostly searching for radio waves. Obviously we haven't found anything yet, so we said, "let's try something different." So that's when we started looking for these optical signals."
Today, researchers are using laser technology to try to see what else might be out there.
Werthimer added: "We're trying to answer the question, are we alone, is anybody out there? Maybe other civilizations, if they're out there, are sending us signals. Might be radio signals, television signals, but another kind of signal would be a laser signal. Maybe they're sending a laser beam in our direction."
Powerful telescopes are looking for bright fleeting flashes of laser light that could be messages from faraway stars.
Werthimer said: "We're looking for a thing that's a billionth of a second long. So we need some very high speed detectors, they're called photo multiplier tubes... and we have some very high speed electronics, we have three detectors, and when all three of these detectors see this bright flash of light, we say, "aha!" that's exciting!"
This optical telescope studies between 30 and 50 stars each night.
And if anyone does send one of those ultra-short-laser messages, this telescope should see it.
So far... only a few false alarms.
Remington Stone, Research Astronomer, said: "The first thing is that we suspect there's something wrong with the equipment, we'll ask our sister observatory to look at the same star at the same time with us.
"If these two observatories however far apart we are, 50, 75 miles apart, see a subsequent flash at the same specific time with a wide geographical separation, then we can't think its anything local. We'll be pretty well convinced at that point that it's probably something at least extraterrestrial."
There is a broad range of random radio waves, and they're easy to pick up across a broad stretch of universe.
But a laser telescope can only detect a message that's aimed directly at us.
Frank Drake, Director of SETI Institute, said: "The prime differences between radio and optical SETI are that radio can detect a great variety of signals, and in particular... those signals those civilizations may send into space for their own purposes. In contrast OSETI only succeeds if the other civilization is intentionally signaling us."
Stone added: "We may not be guessing at all what a truly advanced civilization will do. But it makes sense, this is one way it could be done, so I think for such a highly exciting potential pay off we'd be fools for not to be trying to look for such a signal."
Astronomers hope they can expand their technology to study large portions of the sky instead of just one star at a time.
And they're optimistic, that someone, someday... will discover other extraterrestrial intelligent life.
Stone said: "It's such an exciting possibility that it's worth the effort I think in any case. As long as there's a shred of possibility, then I think that we should pursue it."
You have to be an optimist to do this work, and one of those scientific optimists guesses that we could receive an extraterrestrial message... within the next 20 years. - CNA
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Airconvent
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I very much doubt they can find anything.
If Aliens want to contact us, they would have used radio waves which is more convenient rather than light. A weak light can get lost amongst the stars...
Chris : Yes, I thought Contact was pretty good and so was Jodies Foster!
rich
If Aliens want to contact us, they would have used radio waves which is more convenient rather than light. A weak light can get lost amongst the stars...
Chris : Yes, I thought Contact was pretty good and so was Jodies Foster!
rich
The Boldly Go Where No Meade Has Gone Before
Captain, RSS Enterprise NCC1701R
United Federation of the Planets
Captain, RSS Enterprise NCC1701R
United Federation of the Planets
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weixing
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Hi,
I think detecting laser light from extraterrestrial intelligent life may be more promising than radio wave. Because unlike radio wave, I don't think there are any natural objects in space that will generate laser light (or are there??), so if they can detect a laser light source from the space, it can be 99% sure that it is from an ET, right???
Also, there may be ET using laser technology for long range communication or beacon and the beam may be pointing at our direction, so you won't find it unless you look for it.... Good Luck to them...
I think detecting laser light from extraterrestrial intelligent life may be more promising than radio wave. Because unlike radio wave, I don't think there are any natural objects in space that will generate laser light (or are there??), so if they can detect a laser light source from the space, it can be 99% sure that it is from an ET, right???
Also, there may be ET using laser technology for long range communication or beacon and the beam may be pointing at our direction, so you won't find it unless you look for it.... Good Luck to them...
Yang Weixing
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance."
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." -
kcy
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hmm...how small can they detect the laser signal among all the stars? If a alien race intended for us to recieve the signal, it must have been very advance, directing a ray of light through all the stars, imagine the ray bending here and there :o ! I certainly hope they can explode a star or planet, sort of like what they did in STARWARS : A NEW HOPE...and hopefully someone on earth will say.."I sense a disturbance in the force..it is like a million voice shouted at once..and then silence...i sense great pain and suffering" 8)
Anyway ya guys have watched contact! Anyone paid attention to the opening, when they zoomed out of earth, out of milky way,out of our local galaxy group? Woot I think it was quite a good job, I was stunned when they showed the LMC and SMC too!
Anyway ya guys have watched contact! Anyone paid attention to the opening, when they zoomed out of earth, out of milky way,out of our local galaxy group? Woot I think it was quite a good job, I was stunned when they showed the LMC and SMC too!
Yours Sincerly,
Kong Chong Yew 8)
SP astronomers
Kong Chong Yew 8)
SP astronomers
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harlequin2902
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I did. It was very very very nice. But did you notice that during the solar system segment, they missed out on one of the planets ?Anyway ya guys have watched contact! Anyone paid attention to the opening, when they zoomed out of earth, out of milky way,out of our local galaxy group? Woot I think it was quite a good job, I was stunned when they showed the LMC and SMC too!
Samuel Ng
...how can they miss out on that 
..thinking back I think they did :roll: ...