SHGb02+14a
Radio source SHGb02+14a is a source and a candidate in the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI), discovered in March 2003 by SETI@home and announced in New Scientist on September 1, 2004.[1]
Observation
The source was observed three times (for a total of about one minute) at a frequency of about 1420 MHz,[1][2] one of the frequencies in the waterhole region, which is theorized to be a good candidate for frequencies used by extraterrestrial intelligence to broadcast contact signals.
There are a number of puzzling features of this candidate, which have led to a large amount of skepticism.[3] The source is located between the constellations Pisces and Aries, a direction in which no stars are observed within 1000 light years of Earth. It is also a very weak signal. The frequency of the signal has a rapid drift of between 8 and 37 hertz per second,[1] which would correspond to emission from a planet rotating nearly 40 times faster on its axis than the Earth. Each time the signal was detected, it was again at about 1420 MHz, the original frequency before any drift.
There are a number of potential explanations for this signal. SETI@home has denied media reports of a likely extraterrestrial intelligence signal.[2][3] It could be an artifact of random chance, cosmic noise or even a glitch in the technology.
See also
References and notes
- ^ a b c Reich, Euginie (2004-09-01). "Mysterious signals from light years away". New Scientist. Retrieved 2006-06-12.
- ^ a b Whitehouse, David (2004-09-02). "Astronomers deny ET signal report". BBC News. Retrieved 2006-06-12.
- ^ a b Alexander, Amir (2004-09-02). "SETI@home Leaders Deny Reports of Likely Extraterrestrial Signal". The Planetary Society. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2006-06-12.
External links
- Signal Candidate SHGb02+14a
- SETI@home (classic)'s Best Gaussians
- SETI range calculator
