#Wow signal code#

However, astronomers have ruled out a few possibilities such as a passing comet. Ehman had scribbled 'Wow!' on the page after seeing a printout of a strange signal, giving the event its name.Įhman had written in his report that since hydrogen was the most abundant element in the universe, it stands to reason that an intelligent civilisation within the Milky Way galaxy, trying to seek attention.Ī report in the American Astronomical Society stated that researchers have regularly searched for follow-ups originating from the same location, but they have come up empty-handed.Ĭaballero added that 'Wow!' signal was most likely caused by a natural event rather than aliens.

But the localised area of space also contains other possible candidates.Īccording to a report by its discoverer, astronomer Jerry Ehman, the 'Wow!' signal appeared during a SETI search at Ohio State University's Big Ear telescope and was extraordinarily strong but very fleeting, lasting only 1 minute and 12 seconds.

His findings were published in the May edition of the International Journal of Astrobiology.Ĭaballero said that he had found 'specifically one Sun-like star', and mentioned that the object named 2MASS 19281982-2640123 was 1,800 light-years away.Īccording to Caballero, the star was too far away for humans to send a signal in response (since it would take 1,800 years for the signal to arrive even if it travelled at the speed of light). Alberto Caballero, an amateur scientist, found the 'Wow!' signal's location. Since the middle of the 20th century, SETI has been looking for possible transmissions from faraway technological entities. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), which has been looking for intelligent lifeforms in the universe, is still studying the signal. A study recently published on May 6 indicates that the signal likely came from a Sun-like star located 1,800 light-years away from the Earth, in the constellation Sagittarius. Now, almost half a century later, researchers may have discovered the source of the alleged alien broadcast. Keep up to date with the latest space news in All About Space – available every month for just £4.99.On August 15, 1977, a mysterious 'Wow!' signal had briefly blared through a radio telescope that lasted for 72 seconds.

UPDATE: Since this story was published, a rebuttal has been released. Paris cannot yet confirm that the ‘Wow!’ signal originated from Comet 266P/Christensen, however they can safely say that this was created by a natural phenomenon, most likely a comet. Furthermore, when comets reach the inner Solar System they tend to lose mass, meaning Comet 266P/Christensen would have been much larger back in the day. With a greater light gathering capability in 1977, it is no surprise the comet signal was stronger. Paris and his team used a telescope roughly five times smaller than BERA. The only difference in signals is that the one discovered forty years ago was much stronger, which can be explained by the difference in telescopes used. Using a 10-metre telescope, Paris and his team analysed the Comet 266P/Christensen and concluded that the signal matched the one found by BERA all those years ago. These icy bodies release gases as the Sun warms their surface this is what caused the hydrogen cloud. These comets, 266P/Christensen and P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs), explain why the signal was never seen again, as they are always on the move. Petersburg College, Florida, United States, and his team determined that there were two comets that passed that particular region of the sky at the time of the observation. More specifically it’s the hydrogen cloud accompanying a comet. It has long been speculated that the signal might have even come from extraterrestrial life.įast forward to the present, and in 2016 the Centre for Planetary Science (CPS) proposed the hypothesis that the source for the signal was in fact a comet. This 72-second-long signal caused a fair amount of confusion, as scientists ruled out the possibility of it originating from asteroids, exoplanets, stars and even interference from Earth itself.

#Wow signal code#

This signal really stood out from the rest, so Ehman put a ring around the code and jotted the famous ‘Wow!’ next to it.

In August 1977, astronomer Jerry Ehman noted an unusual signal from the sky observed by the Big Ear Radio Observatory (BERA) in Ohio, United States. Astronomers prove that the signal originated from a comet, and not from extraterrestrial life. The elusive ‘Wow!’ signal discovered forty years ago has finally been explained. Image credit: Big Ear Radio Observatory & North American AstroPhysical Observatory (NAAPO) This is the original computer printout from 1977. The elusive ‘Wow’ signal discovered forty years ago has finally been explained.