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NASA to launch Beatles tune ’Across the Universe’
Herald Tribune ^ | February 1, 2008 | Associated Press

Posted on 02/01/2008 3:26:34 PM PST by Samwise

The Beatles are about to become radio stars in a whole new way.

NASA on Monday will broadcast the Beatles' song "Across the Universe" across the galaxy to Polaris, the North Star.

This first-ever beaming of a radio song by the space agency directly into deep space is nostalgia-driven. It celebrates the 40th anniversary of the song, the 45th anniversary of NASA's Deep Space Network, which communicates with its distant probes, and the 50th anniversary of NASA.

"Send my love to the aliens," Paul McCartney told NASA through a Beatles historian. "All the best, Paul."

The song, written by McCartney and John Lennon, may have a ticket to ride and will be flying at the speed of light. But it will take 431 years along a long and winding road to reach its final destination. That's because Polaris is 2.5 quadrillion miles away.

NASA loaded an MP3 of the song, just under four minutes in its original version, and will transmit it digitally at 7 p.m. EST Monday from its giant antenna in Madrid, Spain. But if you wanted to hear it on Polaris, you would need an antenna and a receiver to convert it back to music, the same way people receive satellite television.

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy
KEYWORDS: across; beatles; nasa; universe
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To: Argus
“Send more Chuck Berry.”

PS Needs more cowbell.
21 posted on 02/01/2008 3:46:14 PM PST by cripplecreek (Duncan Hunter, Conservative excellence in action.)
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To: cripplecreek

“If they aren’t friendly and can get here, we’re screwed based on technological disadvantage alone. Personally I tend to think that anyone who knows we’re here is totally disinterested or simply unable to reach us.”

I agree on all points.

“Thor’s Hammer” comes to mind — got enough ship to get here, they would have enough ship to drop a large rock on us at high speed.


22 posted on 02/01/2008 3:46:35 PM PST by TheThirdRuffian (Don't blame me; I will write in Thompson.)
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To: Argus

23 posted on 02/01/2008 3:46:50 PM PST by Samwise ("I have a zero tolerance policy for stupidity.")
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To: Samwise

we’ll probably get an intergalactic ticket for wasting energy.


24 posted on 02/01/2008 3:47:38 PM PST by Brian S. Fitzgerald ("We're going to drag that ship over the mountain.")
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To: Samwise

But can Earthlings download the song for free?


25 posted on 02/01/2008 3:47:40 PM PST by OCC
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To: Samwise

Expect RIAA lawyers to comb the universe for illegal downloads


26 posted on 02/01/2008 3:50:12 PM PST by lormand (Juan McAztlan - Moving the Capital of Mexico to Washington DC.)
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To: Samwise

No, really, what wimps! I’d send something by the Blue Oyster Cult, or Mott the Hoople, or the Pretty Things!


27 posted on 02/01/2008 3:51:18 PM PST by Revolting cat! (We all need someone we can bleed on...)
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To: Inclines to the Right

Even with the hare krishna lines,still one of the best lyrics from The Beatles

Words are flying out like
endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
are drifting thorough my open mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world

Images of broken light which
dance before me like a million eyes
That call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a
restless wind inside a letter box
they tumble blindly as
they make their way across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world

Sounds of laughter shades of life
are ringing through my open ears
exciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which
shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world

Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva


28 posted on 02/01/2008 3:52:22 PM PST by paradoxical
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To: Rudder

Not if they want to be taken as frivolous—which they appear determined to do.


29 posted on 02/01/2008 3:54:13 PM PST by Mamzelle
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To: Revolting cat!

Hangar 18 by Megadeth.


30 posted on 02/01/2008 3:55:00 PM PST by cripplecreek (Duncan Hunter, Conservative excellence in action.)
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To: Samwise
From Wikipaedia: ...α UMi A is an F7 bright giant (II) or supergiant (Ib). The two smaller companions are: α UMi B, an F3V main sequence star orbiting at a distance of 2400 AU, and α UMi Ab, a very close dwarf with an 18.5 AU radius orbit. Recent observations show that Polaris may be part of a loose open cluster of type A and F stars.

Not very likely to support life, although knowing their overall position in the galaxy would likely narrow those chances even further.

31 posted on 02/01/2008 3:56:41 PM PST by onedoug
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To: paradoxical

And “Jai guru deva” means? It could very well mean “go eff yourselves” as far as we know!


32 posted on 02/01/2008 3:57:12 PM PST by Revolting cat! (We all need someone we can bleed on...)
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To: Revolting cat!

In the mid 70’s in Alabama I saw Blue Oyster Cult, Mott the Hoople in concert, Rush was supposed to be there but cancelled
great concert,BOC had their laser light show


33 posted on 02/01/2008 3:57:20 PM PST by paradoxical
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To: Samwise

How long before they get sued by the RIAA?


34 posted on 02/01/2008 3:59:12 PM PST by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: Revolting cat!

“I give thanks (victory) (salutation) to Guru Dev (or heavenly teacher), om”.


35 posted on 02/01/2008 3:59:32 PM PST by paradoxical
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To: cripplecreek
If true, this is a complete waste of money.

But, if it's not true are we still in violation of copyright laws if we record it from the transmission?

36 posted on 02/01/2008 4:03:42 PM PST by RightWhale (oil--the world currency)
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To: Samwise

Wasn’t there part of a Beatles’ song on Voyager I?


37 posted on 02/01/2008 4:04:46 PM PST by Roccus (Nose-holder voter)
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To: paradoxical
You're right, good lyrics. Makes you wonder at the subsequent fall of both of them after the breakup to the likes of Uncle Albert and Imagine, for example. But then it happened to other songwriting pairs, King/Goffin (Carole's post-breakup whining), Bacharach/David (Burt's subsequent partners' pedestrianism), and so on.
38 posted on 02/01/2008 4:05:33 PM PST by Revolting cat! (We all need someone we can bleed on...)
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To: RightWhale

Upon further consideration I’ve concluded that its a waste of money whether the signal can be picked up from hundreds of light years away or not.


39 posted on 02/01/2008 4:09:35 PM PST by cripplecreek (Duncan Hunter, Conservative excellence in action.)
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To: Rudder
More NASA money wasting here...the same hangar the Google boys house their airplanes...
40 posted on 02/01/2008 4:12:54 PM PST by shorty_harris
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