Possibility of Extraterrestrial OriginThe hypothesis that the “Wow!”signal could be a message from an extraterrestrial civilization remains a subject of interest. Recent research points to a Sun-like star 1,800 light-years away as a possible source, though this is not confirmed

The “Wow!” signal remains one of the great unsolved mysteries in the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence

On August 15, 1977, a strong narrow band radio signal was detected by the Ohio State University’s Big Ear Radio Telescope during a search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI). The signal, which lasted for 72 seconds, was so remarkable that astronomer Jerry Ehman, who discovered it days later, wrote “Wow!” on the printout, giving it its famous name. The signal originated from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius and has been considered one of the best candidates for an alien radio transmission.

The Search for the Source

Despite numerous attempts to find a source of the “Wow!” signal, it has never been determined with surety. This has led to various theories about its origin. Some scientists suggest it might have been a natural cosmic event or interference from a terrestrial source. However, the possibility that it was a message from an extra-terrestrial civilization remains a tantalising hypothesis. Recent research has pointed to a Sun-like star about 1,800 light-years away as a possible source, although this has not been confirmed.

Competing Theories

One of the prominent theories proposed by Antonio Paris in 2016 suggests that the “Wow!” signal could have been caused by the passage of a hydrogen cloud accompanying one of two comets (266P/Christensen and P/2008 Y2) that were in the same part of the sky at the time. This idea would explain why the signal was not measured again – the comet that caused it moved on in its orbit. However, this theory remains controversial, with some astronomers arguing that it does not fully explain the characteristics of the signal.

In 2017, Paris and his team again surveyed the sky around Sagittarius using a telescope when Comet 266P/Christensen was passing through this region. They determined that the signal of 266P/Christensen (and three other comets) matched the “Wow!” signa

Cultural Impact and ‘3 Body Problem‘

The “Wow!” signal has not only fascinated scientists but has also permeated popular culture. Netflix series ‘3 Body Problem‘, based on the science fiction trilogy by Liu Cixin, integrates the “Wow!” signal into its storyline. In the series, the signal is portrayed as a real message from an alien civilization, leading to dramatic consequences for humanity. This creative use highlights the enduring intrigue and mystery surrounding the “Wow!” signal

How far away was the WoW signal?

2MASS 19281982-2640123 is a Sun-like star 1,800 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius the Archer. Until recently, it was the best candidate found so far that might explain the origin of the Wow! signal

Was the wow signal a comet?

signal was most likely generated by a comet. The Wow! signal was detected on August 15, 1977 at the Big Ear Radio Observatory in Ohio, during a search for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence. The signal was unusual, and, when reviewing the data a few days later, astronomer Jerry Ehman wrote “Wow!” next to it.

New radio observations of a distant Sun-like star thought to be a likely source of the famous WOW! signal reveal no evidence that the system harbors anything (or anyone) capable of sending such a signal. Nonetheless, astronomers say the “null result” is an important step in verifying a new, more targeted approach to searching nearby stars for traces of the mysterious WOW! signal.

“A null result is a result,” Wael Farah, SETI astronomer and coauthor of the new study, tells Astronomy. “If we don’t detect anything, it means that other astronomers can spend their time looking for something else.”

Moving forward, astronomers can use this new approach to search other individual stars in the Milky Way for signals similar to the famous WOW! Signal. If found, such signals could potentially serve as evidence for the existence of technologically advanced extraterrestrial life.

The new observations were carried out by two radio telescopes and targeted a Sun-like star named 2MASS 19281982-2640123. The results were published in September in Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society.

The powerful and unusual radio signal lasted 72 seconds. Astronomers quickly ruled-out the possibility that it was caused by a terrestrial broadcast or a passing satellite, and despite repeated searches of the same sector of sky, the WOW! signal was never detected again.

The director of Big Ear, John Kraus, later wrote to Carl Sagan that the WOW! signal was “highly suggestive of extraterrestrial intelligent origin.” And it quickly become a prominent astronomical mystery, though several other similarly unexplained radio signals have since been detected

Searching for a narrowband signal

SETI stands for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Established in 1984, the institute’s efforts now span hundreds of researchers and facilities around the world. Their activities range from monitoring the electromagnetic radiation of stars and other astronomical bodies to directly searching for transmissions from alien civilizations.

“What we do in SETI is that we search for signals that are not allowed to be generated by nature,” Farah says. And in the case of the WOW! signal, the fact that it was tightly constrained to a narrow band of radio frequencies was among its most unusual, unnatural features

Life beyond Earth is a phenomenon that humans have been trying to solve since we started studying planets. To fulfill this quest, we have tried almost everything to communicate with aliens or extraterrestrials, but we are still waiting for any concrete success. Speaking of communicating with aliens, four decades ago, in August 1977, Ohio State University’s Big Ear Radio Telescope detected a very powerful radio signal while searching for extraterrestrial intelligence. The signal, which lasted for just 72 seconds, was so intriguing that astronomer Jerry Ehman, who discovered it days later, expressed his thoughts by writing “Wow!” on the printout, giving it its famous name. Notably, the signal was received from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, and many believe it might indeed be a radio message from an alien civilization.

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