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posted by janrinok on Wednesday December 13 2017, @01:39PM   Printer-friendly
from the listening-for-the-little-green-men dept.

'Oumuamua's interstellar origin and unusually elongated shape has been enough to convince the billionaire-backed Breakthrough Listen to observe it to look for signs of alien technology:

The team's efforts will begin on Wednesday, with astronomers observing the asteroid, which is currently speeding away from our Solar System, across four different radio frequency bands. The first set of observations is due to last for 10 hours.

[...] Mr Milner's Breakthrough Listen programme released a statement which read: "Researchers working on long-distance space transportation have previously suggested that a cigar or needle shape is the most likely architecture for an interstellar spacecraft, since this would minimise friction and damage from interstellar gas and dust."

Andrew Siemion, director of the Berkeley SETI Research Center, who is part of the initiative, said: "'Oumuamua's presence within our Solar System affords Breakthrough Listen an opportunity to reach unprecedented sensitivities to possible artificial transmitters and demonstrate our ability to track nearby, fast-moving objects." He added: "Whether this object turns out to be artificial or natural, it's a great target for Listen."

Previously: Possible Interstellar Asteroid/Comet Enters Solar System
Interstellar Asteroid Named: Oumuamua
ESO Observations Show First Interstellar Asteroid is Like Nothing Seen Before


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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by JeanCroix on Wednesday December 13 2017, @03:39PM (3 children)

    by JeanCroix (573) on Wednesday December 13 2017, @03:39PM (#609238)
    If they detect anything, we better rename it Rama and send a ship after it for a rendezvous, pronto.
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  • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Wednesday December 13 2017, @05:34PM (2 children)

    by Freeman (732) on Wednesday December 13 2017, @05:34PM (#609285) Journal

    The sheer amount of money and time it would take to do that makes your suggestion likely impossible.

    --
    Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 13 2017, @05:51PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 13 2017, @05:51PM (#609294)
      Indeed, Sheldon. Indeed.
    • (Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Wednesday December 13 2017, @09:01PM

      by NotSanguine (285) <NotSanguineNO@SPAMSoylentNews.Org> on Wednesday December 13 2017, @09:01PM (#609376) Homepage Journal

      The sheer amount of money and time it would take to do that makes your suggestion likely impossible.

      Apparently, you're unfamiliar with this [wikipedia.org]. I recommend it.

      --
      No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr