SETI studies interesting signal

[blike]

NewScientist is running an article describing a radio signal from space that SETI has picked up. Signals had been detected in that region in the past, but the they had not been confirmed. Last year the telescopes were again pointed at the constellation to monitor the signals. Scientists have just finished analyzing the data and have eliminated all but one signal which has increased in strength. The radio signal has been detected on three separate occasions.

 

They are trying to rule out natural causes, unknown phenomena, radio interference, telescope anomalies, etc. One astronomer points out that the signal's frequency drifts, which seems to indicate it is rotating like a planet. Astronomers are puzzled because Seti@Home software supposedly corrects for this drift. The drift also indicates that it is rotating 40 times faster than earth. Paul Horowitz is skeptical, claiming that any sufficiently advanced civilization would correct for this drift. Another fishy aspect of the signal is that it always first appears at 1420Mghz and then starts drifting.

 

Some suspect that it is an artifact of the telescope. Scientists are hoping to confirm the signal using other radio telescopes.

[MolecularMan14]

Yes they should definitely run that region more with another powerful radio telescope in order to correct any flaw. I hope we find something good

[Kedas]

If 'they' are sending to all directions at ones wouldn't that make it impossible to correct for planet drift?

Also it wouldn't have to be a planet it could be a satellite that is put close to the star for energy reasons.

It could also be a side effect of an experiment.

or it could be some new nature phenomenon that explains more about our sun than Genesis would have done

 

One other thing the drift is a good sign because it means that we didn't generate it because our high end equipment wouldn't produce such a big drift.

 

something else the drift could be intentional so then it has notting to do with planet rotation, that would explain the start at 1420MHz before it's start to drift.

[YT2095]

here`s a thought that maybe of interest, is it possible that some EM phenomenon within 50 light years of Earth, actualy reflect some of our early broadcasts BACK towards us? like some sort of radio mirror. we`ve been genrating radio signals for a good 100 years now, and some of these will have gone off into space and be 100 light years away. is it possible that at some time in the future that some of those signals may get bent or reflected back at us again, and appear as a signal but too distorted and weak to make sense of, but be just enough to arouse speculation?

 

edit: the word I was after is "Echo"

[Kedas]

Yes, I think that's possible but the scanned frequences are specific and a lot higher than radio. (communication satellites aren't around that long 1960-70)

[RICHARDBATTY]

If we wanted to contact as many planets as possible, would we not broadcast straight up and gradualy angle the dish down a bit per rotation. What if the source is just a crystal formation on a moon or planet that is energized by radiation from its sun. The variation in the formation and its direct angle to the sun may cause variation of transmission following a pattern based on the body's rotation.

[YT2095]

indeed! crystals are known to do this, even if we take "radiation" to mean plain old heat, causing expansion/contraction activity amongst crystal crops, the Peizo electric effect will still operate

[RICHARDBATTY]

Too many ations. By straight up I was thinking north pole moving to south pole. Do you think it would be possible to create a signal of this strength in this way. I suppose an iron deposit may act as an antena or something. Blike How strong is the signal. YT Can crystals be directly stimulated to emit radio of that frequency, I mean in a laser sort of way. Could it just be that one of their microwaves is on the blink.