Not LGM sadly
LGP
Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
51–60 of 86 posts
Re: Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
#52This is a first step for being able to distinguish natural from artificial radio emissions
Re: Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
#53From a Jupiter-like gas giant type exoplanet, which generate radio emissions through entirely natural processes just like the gas giants in our own solar system. The title is a tad more spectacular than the actual discovery.
The title is in an odd spot where, on the face, it is completely anodyne, and not at all misleading or “clickbait.” Yet even sensible readers (like me!) see “radio” and “exoplanet” in the same sentence and think “ALIENS!” Very awkward spot for the science PR people writing this. It’s almost like it needs extra words to prevent people from adding “Possible (But Definitely Non-Alien) Radio Emission From Exoplanet (Whic…
Possible is a sneaky word to use here, implying unbelievability.
First Exoplanet Detected by Naturally Occurring Radio Emission
Re: Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
#54Is “signal” the correct word to use for naturally occurring radio bursts? I thought that word implied radio waves used to convey meaning.
It probably depends on the domain. For telescope people, a “signal” is anything other than noise and systematic error in your measurements.
I’d speculate that this terminology came from telephony or radio communications - even the term “noise” is a giveaway. But it has migrated into astronomical language in a slightly different way.
Re: Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
#55From a Jupiter-like gas giant type exoplanet, which generate radio emissions through entirely natural processes just like the gas giants in our own solar system. The title is a tad more spectacular than the actual discovery.
Came into the comment section expecting a cold shower. Was not disappointed.
Nothing like the comment section to snap you back to reality.
Re: Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
It’s a radio emission, not a radio transmission. That’s a key distinction that may be lost on a lay reader (or anyone not paying enough attention). Astronomers, amateur astronomers, and astronomy enthusiasts all tend to be aware of the fact that radio is just another part of the spectrum we can use to look at the universe. It’s a strange quirk of our culture that the word radio carries connotations of technology and…
> It’s a strange quirk of our culture that the word radio carries connotations of technology and thus connotes intelligence. Counterpoint: "radio wave fart from exoplanet detected". No connotation of intelligence IMO
Though, perhaps, of biology.
Re: Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
#57From a Jupiter-like gas giant type exoplanet, which generate radio emissions through entirely natural processes just like the gas giants in our own solar system. The title is a tad more spectacular than the actual discovery.
That's funny because as an astronomer the title is both very exciting and completely fair. We've known about long-wavelength radio emission from Jupiter for ages. Astronomers have been looking for the same thing in exoplanet systems probably since shortly after their discovery! But because they are so far away, the emission is faint and hard to detect. This is also very long wavelength radio (in the tens of megahertz) which is a difficult portion of the spectrum to work in.
I suppose it is less spectacular if one makes the immediate connection "radio techno-signature", but that's unwarranted and not a fault of the press release or the author, in my opinion. Jupiter's auroral emissions are mainly caused by volcano's on Io, so it's not unrealistic to think we can learn a lot about planetary mass objects (the moons) from observations like these.
Re: Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
#58Earlier quoted context omitted.
Came into the comment section expecting a cold shower. Was not disappointed.
Nothing like the comment section to snap you back to reality.
I suppose... but often the top comment is wrong or mis-leading in some way: "the middle-brow dismissal" HN is famous for. I usually find the most enlightening commentary on HN a few replies down from the top comment where a true expert chimes in to show why the middle-brow dismissal is in fact incorrect and adds their own nuance to the conversation.
Re: Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
#59Is “signal” the correct word to use for naturally occurring radio bursts? I thought that word implied radio waves used to convey meaning.
Signal is the emission of interest, however it occurs. Noise is the other stuff. In common use though people mentally (and literally) drop the first word from " modulated signal" and seize upon signal. It's normal and writers should make an effort to use unmodulated or, probably better, natural in such descriptions. Emission isn't a bad word for this context, but it's still all encompassing and easy to mentally go th…
Is not the signal in question modulated by the motion of the source, as most signals in astronomy are?
Re: Possible Radio Emission from Exoplanet Detected
#60Probably reruns of I Love L'ucy