A report by the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reveals that Astronomers are eagerly anticipating a possible contact with intelligent life in response to a Message that was transmitted into space forty years ago. This optimism is based on the proximity of the star system Altair, which is just 16.7 light years away from Earth, making it a reasonable timeframe for a response.
The stargazers have chosen August 22, coinciding with the lunar calendar’s celebration of the July 7 Tanabata star festival, to be on standby for a potential extraterrestrial message. In 1983, the message was sent on August 15, which also fell during the Tanabata festival. To detect any radio signals in response to this message, a team led by Shinya Narusawa at the University of Hyogo will deploy a 64-meter diameter antenna in Saku, Nagano Prefecture.
The message sent in 1983 consisted of 13 drawings depicting the history of life on Earth and the appearance of humans, among other information. It was crafted by Astronomers Masaki Morimoto and Hisashi Hirabayashi. Narusawa, who believes in the existence of intelligent life beyond Earth, stated that Altair may have a planet capable of sustaining life.
This initiative is part of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) program. Sadly, Morimoto, a Japanese pioneer in this field, has passed away, while Hirabayashi is a professor emeritus at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The antenna was aimed at JAXA’s Usuda Deep Space Center for an hour on August 22, during the Tanabata festival.
Overall, this effort reflects the curiosity and optimism of astronomers as they wait for a potential response to their message from intelligent life in the cosmos.
Sources:
– Asahi Shimbun
– SETI researcher Shinya Narusawa at the University of Hyogo
– Astronomer Shinya Narusawa’s collaboration with astronomers Masaki Morimoto and Hisashi Hirabayashi.
(Note: The quoted content from the source article has been paraphrased.)
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