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Is ‘Oumuamua an alien spacecraft? First scans show no signs of technology

theguardian.com

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Re: Is ‘Oumuamua an alien spacecraft? First scans show no signs of technology

#21

Post by rmonroe »

netinstructions wrote: post #8

They mentioned that they're scanning a frequency range from 1 to 12 GHz. Why that range? And what if it's transmitting at 0.5 or 13 GHz, or 500 GHz? Would that show up, just weaker or..?

As a radio-astronomer: 1. Well, few radio-telescopes have instantaneous bandwidth as wide as a factor of 12 -- they are usually optimal on a narrow region, and therefore hoping that another group with instruments optimized for lower/higher frequencies will do the job 2. Lower frequencies require larger antennas to achieve useful gain. It is more likely that they would go higher than 500 MHz vs lower. Also, dispersion (correctable with a position solve) and scattering (not correctable) eventually become problems with low enough frequencies and long enough distances 3. If we observe at the wrong frequencies, it will most likely not show up. RF filtering and antenna response will ensure that.

Re: Is ‘Oumuamua an alien spacecraft? First scans show no signs of technology

#23

Post by pmoriarty »

ceejayoz wrote: post #5

Obviously, this indicates they're using technology far exceeding ours that's undetectable to our sensors.

It could also be just a dead spacecraft, than was once operational but is no longer so. That could also be why it's tumbling now, whereas once it may have flown in a more aerodynamic fashion.

Re: Is ‘Oumuamua an alien spacecraft? First scans show no signs of technology

#24

Post by staticelf »

ceejayoz wrote: post #5

Obviously, this indicates they're using technology far exceeding ours that's undetectable to our sensors.

Obviously. Radio signals aren't exactly a good way to communicate through a large space. It takes forever!

Re: Is ‘Oumuamua an alien spacecraft? First scans show no signs of technology

#25

Post by yoodenvranx »

cantrip wrote: post #13
wasx wrote: post #11

I'm kind of glad to hear that to be honest. It's already too far away from us and going too fast for any spacecraft that could currently be built to reach it. It would have been a very cruel joke if the first opportunity for interaction with extra terrestrial intelligence flew past us so unceremoniously. Of course it's certainly disappointing that it isn't an alien spacecraft, but would have been doubly so if it were…

I dunno I think if it were an alien spacecraft we should just keep our heads low and not draw any attention to it. Our first window of opportunity might be our last.

This reminds me of Liu Cixins "The the body problem"-triology. If you haven't read it yet you should have a look.

Re: Is ‘Oumuamua an alien spacecraft? First scans show no signs of technology

#26

Post by on_and_off »

wasx wrote: post #15
cantrip wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dunno I think if it were an alien spacecraft we should just keep our heads low and not draw any attention to it. Our first window of opportunity might be our last.

I've gotta disagree with you on this. Personally I think intelligent life is probably very rare in the universe, the sheer number of factors that need to go right for it to arise, and then the sheer number of factors that need to not go wrong for it to continue to exist mean any intelligent life out there is probably going to find us way more valuable and worthy of co-operation and interaction than say destruction of…

The last thing I would want for an alien life is to be humane. We have not really been great in our interactions with other cultures throughout history and they were of the same species as us.

Re: Is ‘Oumuamua an alien spacecraft? First scans show no signs of technology

#28

Post by 0bfus »

pmoriarty wrote: post #23
ceejayoz wrote: post #5

Obviously, this indicates they're using technology far exceeding ours that's undetectable to our sensors.

It could also be just a dead spacecraft, than was once operational but is no longer so. That could also be why it's tumbling now, whereas once it may have flown in a more aerodynamic fashion.

it's obvious what you're describing but just wanted to point out that aerodynamic is a poor choice of words to describe an interstellar body :)

Re: Is ‘Oumuamua an alien spacecraft? First scans show no signs of technology

#29

Post by flukus »

wasx wrote: post #11

I'm kind of glad to hear that to be honest. It's already too far away from us and going too fast for any spacecraft that could currently be built to reach it. It would have been a very cruel joke if the first opportunity for interaction with extra terrestrial intelligence flew past us so unceremoniously. Of course it's certainly disappointing that it isn't an alien spacecraft, but would have been doubly so if it were…

> It would have been a very cruel joke if the first opportunity for interaction with extra terrestrial intelligence flew past us so unceremoniously.

It won't leave the solar system (Oort cloud) for 20,000 years. I'd hope our technology improves enough to be able to catch up in that time.

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