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General Discussion => Science & Nature => Topic started by: sam on March 21, 2010, 16:17

Title: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: sam on March 21, 2010, 16:17
Quote
It's about fifty years since Frank Drake sent out our first chat request to the wider universe. I say about as I think the official date is 11 April 1960 – but I notice a lot of fifty year anniversary blogs and interviews are already being published, so what the heck, I'm not waiting either.


http://www.universetoday.com/2010/03/20/astronomy-without-a-telescope-how-to-impress-an-alien-or-not/
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: Clive on March 21, 2010, 22:34
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Drake's initial communication efforts in Project Ozma were small scale, but his clever and carefully constructed Arecibo message out to Messier 13 (a globular cluster of approximately 300,000 stars) in 1974 aroused some criticism that telling the aliens where we are might result in an invasion.

This is a little implausible, since Messier 13 is 25,000 light years away. By the time the invasion fleet arrives we will either be long gone or have spent the intervening period developing the technology to blast them out of the sky if they don't turn back immediately

This sort of thing is very amusing because most of us have no idea how vast the distances are between the stars.  If, at some point in the future, we managed to travel at a tenth of the speed of light (which is a tall order) it would take 40 years to reach the nearest star.
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: Simon on March 21, 2010, 22:37
That could be one of your AFs, Clive.  :)
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: sam on March 21, 2010, 22:39
I know, silly distances. I swear people believe alien world are just round the corner. Silly sci-fi.
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: sam on March 21, 2010, 22:39
Quote from: Simon on March 21, 2010, 22:37
That could be one of your AFs, Clive.  :)

AFs?
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: Clive on March 21, 2010, 22:52
Amazing Facts.   ;)
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: sam on March 21, 2010, 22:54
ah I see.

No wonder google couldn't help me with that. I came up with an exhausting list but not that. Dumbass.
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: Simon on March 21, 2010, 23:10
Clive's AFs are not on Google?  We are extinct!   :bawl: :)x
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: sam on March 21, 2010, 23:14
yeah they are:

http://www.google.com/search?q=amazing+facts+site%3Apc-pals.com&btnG=Search&hl=en&sa=2
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: Clive on March 21, 2010, 23:17
Bloody hell!  Fame at last!   ;D
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: sam on March 21, 2010, 23:17
they are all there too...  :crazy:
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: Simon on March 21, 2010, 23:30
Copyright!   ;D
Title: Re: Astronomy Without A Telescope – How To Impress An Alien (Or Not)
Post by: sam on March 21, 2010, 23:52
oh well, never mind.