Sending Messages To M13 Star Cluster

[us.2u]

In 1974 the Arecibo radio telescope transmitted a coded message towards the M13 star-cluster. M13 contains 300,000 stars & lies near the edge of our Galaxy, 21,000 light years away. The message consisted of 1,679 bits of info. If intelligent beings recieve the code,they should be able to re-arrange it into 73 lines of 23 bits. In this form it shows a series of shapes, including the "Arecibo-Dish", our solar system. & a human, if life forms do work it out, a return message would take about 48,000- years to get here from M13. .....To me that seems such a pointless excercise! ...us.2u

[Pangloss]

This is the message:

 

 

It was really just a demonstration of the power of the new radar transmitter.

[Comandante]

i doubt the signal will ever reach, did they calculate how powerful the signal has to be in order to be detectable when it reaches there?

 

when we're up to this, i was just curious; did we ever try to transmit any messages towards alpha centauri? i think that would be a good idea 'cause its much closer than M13!

[us.2u]

I don't know Sysco but indeed I'll do some research & get back to you; if I find any thing of interest...us.2u also Pangloss that is spot on with the message they sent; but I really do believe it was more than a demostration of power can you read the whole code? if not I'll relay to you exactly the translation of the code if you are interested...us.2u

[Newtonian]

If life forms do work it out, a return message would take about 48,000- years to get here from M13. .....To me that seems such a pointless excercise! ...us.2u

Not so,Just because we may not be around if it happens.

Recieving a response or signal from other intelligent beings.Will be hugely beneficial to our species and our science.Proving we're not alone or a mistake in our universe will effectively perpetuate our species.Theres life out there Jim,but not as we know it(cue music..da da daaa,dar da darrr/ or for us here in Uk whueeeeewhuu,dumdananaddumdanana,whueeeeewhuuuuu)

[Ophiolite]

It was really just a demonstration of the power of the new radar transmitter.

I would think more than that:

• To demonstrate the telescope's power, true.
  
• To focus attention on the possibility of ETI, in order to make it a 'respectable' field, and potentially garner more funding.
  
• To make an optimistic statement, that humanity will still be around to hear a reply, if one is made.
  

Sadly, if the latter was a hope, then the signal was singularily poorly directed.

 

M13 is a globular cluster. Around 150 of these are known, concentrated around the bulge at the centre of our galaxy. They are densely packed groupings of stars of approximately the same age. It is extremely unlikey advanced life would be found in any globular cluster for two reasons:

 

a) Life would not arise.

b) Life could not survive

 

The stars in each globular cluster are Population II stars. These are old stars.(Perversely, these are older than Population I stars like the sun.) They formed from primeval clouds of gas that were metal poor. (In astronomer-speak, if it's not hydrogen or helium, then it's a metal..) This means no material to build terrrestrial planets; no material to build organisms. Result: no life.

Even if life could arise, the proximity to supernovae in such a densely packed cluster would produce frequent extinction potential events. (Not to mention increased risks of orbital instability.)

[us.2u]

I totally agree there Ophiolite which is why I think sending our codes to M13 is a pointless excercise; pherhaps aimed at a different location may be more, or likely to be beneficial.... everyones thoughts welcome...us.2u

[J.C.MacSwell]

I totally agree there Ophiolite which is why I think sending our codes to M13 is a pointless excercise; pherhaps aimed at a different location may be more, or likely to be beneficial.... everyones thoughts welcome[/b']...us.2u

 

There are aliens out there that "eat" gullible intelligent lifeforms. But they don't waste their time looking for them, that would make finding needles in haystacks seem easy. So they just wait for the signals...

[Comandante]

There are aliens out there that "eat" gullible intelligent lifeforms. But they don't waste their time looking for them, that would make finding needles in haystacks seem easy. So they just wait for the signals...

 

you speak confidently my friend, beware