What is the “wow” signal? [Fraser Cain]

In 1977, radio astronomer Jerry Eyman was viewing observations from the Big Ear radio telescope. He was looking for evidence that extraterrestrial civilizations are trying to broadcast information using radio waves, rather than space rockets. He wanted to prove that we can communicate with aliens on a hydrogen radio link. In the course of the search, any noticeable noise was recorded in a series of uniform data. But the radio frequencies of the universe were in no hurry to please the seekers with an answer.

But then Ayman noticed such an unusual signal that he even circled him with a red pen and wrote “Wow!” With a red pen! With an exclamation point! True, just one, do not worry.
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Ayman circled several characters - 6-EQUJ-5- separating them from the rest of the units and twos in the data stream. What does this code mean? Is this the mysterious message of unearthly civilizations? Why does it start with a six and end with a five? What are they trying to tell us?
From the moment Ayman wrote the red pen “Wow!”, This signal was called “wow-signal”, which caused speculation on the part of researchers from the SETI project and alien fans, and also caused confusion with the game World of Warcraft.

It is important to understand that the Big Ear radio observatory did not receive these symbols directly in the message. The observatory received radio signals from the constellation Sagittarius near the globular star cluster M-55. Each character in this diagram corresponds to approximately ten seconds of listening. When the telescope caught the signal, it recorded the intensity with one symbol, using numbers from 1 to 9 and letters from A to Z. The highest intensity is indicated by the letter “U” in the middle.

That is, looking at this diagram, you see that at first there is practically no radio signal, then, as the Big Ear antenna approaches the signal source, it becomes more intense and more intense, after which it fades again.

Astronomers tried to trace the signal, but it disappeared. He was caught only once, and more he did not appear in this or any other area. Were they aliens? “Dr. Eyman and other astronomers have explored this area more than fifty times in search of a signal. To no avail. They used the Big Ear again at the Oak Ridge Observatory, and then the more powerful Super Large Antenna Grid.

Ayman himself doubted that he had caught the signal from an extraterrestrial mind; he was not even sure that the signal came from outside the solar system. He suspected that it could be a secret military satellite or a radio signal of terrestrial origin, which was reflected from space debris. But this hypothesis does not explain everything. If it was a satellite, the signal would be recorded in other places and at different times as it moves around the Earth. But no one else noticed him.

It is logical to assume that extraterrestrial intelligence could communicate in this range. So, probably, those who want to send a clear message to space would do. But the signal is a point source, which means it must first be conveyed to a certain star or planet in the Milky Way.

Probably, we will never know the truth. We simply do not have enough data to solve this mystery to the end. But I support the search for signals from extraterrestrial civilizations. Such unsolved secrets suggest that we should not stop. It doesn't matter if we find new alien friends or new unknown sources of radio emission, it's worth it.

By the way, besides jokes, in 2012, researchers in the Arecibo Observatory sent a message from Earth containing messages, tweets and photos. The signal was sent in the same direction as the “Wow!” Signal came from. I hope that the aliens will like it, they will be sad and they will open their space for the most harmless planet in the world.

Unfortunately, the “wow-signal” is not a sufficient confirmation of the fact that aliens are trying to contact us. Most likely, we just pollute the space with fragmentary radio signals.