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What Was the WOW Signal?
universetoday.com ^
| Fraser Cain
Posted on 09/21/2015 2:45:34 PM PDT by BenLurkin
In 1977, radio astronomer Jerry Ehman was looking through observation data from the Big Ear Radio Telescope....searching for evidence that alien civilizations might be trying to communicate using radio waves...
...
The search generated...nothing but the background radio transmissions of the Universe.
But then he saw a data signal so interesting and unique that he circled it and wrote “WOW” in a red pen...
Ehman circled the characters “6EQUJ5”, distinguishing them from all the other 1s and 2s on the field of data.
What does this code mean? ... Why does it start with a 6 and then end with a 5?
...
Each character on this chart corresponds to about 10 seconds of “listening”. If the telescope picked up a signal, it recorded the intensity with a single character. The scale went from 1 to 9, and then through A to Z. The highest ever recorded was U.
...what you’re actually seeing is mostly no radio signal, and then the signal gets brighter and brighter, as the Big Ear’s dish passed whatever was generating the signal, then it gets dim again.
...
Ehman himself was doubtful it was intelligent in nature. He wasn’t even sure it came from outside the Solar System at all. He suspected it was either a classified military satellite or a reflection of an Earth-based radio signal bouncing off space debris.
...
If it was a satellite transmitting in this spectrum, you would expect to see it get picked up in other locations around Earth and at other times.
...
It makes sense that aliens would communicate in this spectrum; ...
The signal is a point source, which means it would have come from a specific star or planet in the Milky Way.
...
The bottom line is that we’ll never know.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: 6equj5; bigear; jerryehman; seti; wowsignal
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1
posted on
09/21/2015 2:45:34 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
To: BenLurkin
2
posted on
09/21/2015 2:49:55 PM PDT
by
SaveFerris
(Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
To: BenLurkin
maybe the WOW signal was the Intergalactic Islamonazi Headquarters sending the code to create O’s fake birth certificate?
To: SunkenCiv
4
posted on
09/21/2015 2:54:54 PM PDT
by
Army Air Corps
(Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
To: BenLurkin
What does this code mean? ... Why does it start with a 6 and then end with a 5?
65-23 enigma=42. The answer to life the universe and everything.
5
posted on
09/21/2015 2:56:19 PM PDT
by
Gaffer
To: BenLurkin
6
posted on
09/21/2015 2:58:15 PM PDT
by
fishtank
(The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism.)
To: BenLurkin
7
posted on
09/21/2015 3:00:54 PM PDT
by
cripplecreek
(Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.)
To: SaveFerris
"Sounds like a compressed burst from a military spy satellite."
Jebby could not be reached for comment.
8
posted on
09/21/2015 3:01:27 PM PDT
by
SaveFerris
(Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
To: dfwgator
Seems wrong to not ping you! So I did.
9
posted on
09/21/2015 3:02:23 PM PDT
by
SaveFerris
(Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
To: SaveFerris
I remember that Steve Martin bit - noticed it was posted a mere 4 minutes after this thread started.
Its amazing the way some here have such apropos pics at the ready!
10
posted on
09/21/2015 3:04:33 PM PDT
by
MarchonDC09122009
(When is our next march on DC? When have we had enough?)
To: MarchonDC09122009
11
posted on
09/21/2015 3:05:07 PM PDT
by
SaveFerris
(Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
To: BenLurkin
It was the Corillian Battle Fleet scout ship programming it's FTL for the first jump to home. The Battle Fleet will be here “The Day After Tomorrow”. We are all going to die.
12
posted on
09/21/2015 3:06:33 PM PDT
by
mad_as_he$$
(Section 20.)
To: mad_as_he$$
Was that “The Last Starfighter?”
To: BenLurkin
Ehman circled the characters “6EQUJ5”, distinguishing them from all the other 1s and 2s on the field of data. What does this code mean? ... Why does it start with a 6 and then end with a 5?"Be sure to drink your Ovaltine."
To: fishtank
6 revolutions of Earth equals 5 less hours to do chores.
15
posted on
09/21/2015 3:13:12 PM PDT
by
sodpoodle
(Life is prickly - carry tweezers.)
To: Vermont Lt
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
16
posted on
09/21/2015 3:18:07 PM PDT
by
DonnerT
(After all is said and done, it is God's Will that will be done.)
To: cripplecreek
Exactly.
A micro-burst infomercial from Zeta Reticuli.
17
posted on
09/21/2015 3:20:19 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
To: Gaffer
18
posted on
09/21/2015 3:22:35 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
To: BenLurkin
The Reptilians are coming!
Too late!
19
posted on
09/21/2015 3:28:15 PM PDT
by
Alas Babylon!
(As we say in the Air Force, "You know you're over the target when you start getting flak!")
To: BenLurkin
20
posted on
09/21/2015 3:31:16 PM PDT
by
Bon mots
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