From: LARRY KLAES (ljk4_at_msn.com)
Date: Fri Jul 04 2003 - 21:52:18 PDT
http://www.msnbc.com/news/750150.asp?0bl=-0
July 4, 2003 / Noon ET
Voicemail for the aliens: This weekend, humanity is leaving another message for E.T., via the 230-foot Evpatoria radio telescope in Ukraine. The high-power radio transmissions will include the famous 1974 Arecibo broadcast to the stars, a coded “Rosetta Stone” on mathematics and science developed by Stephane Dumas and Yvan Dutil, and a series of text/video/audio/photo messages from paying customers as well as dignitaries such as former astronaut Sally Ride.
The “Cosmic Call,” developed by Houston-based Team Encounter, will be emceed from Roswell, N.M., by journalist Hugh Downs, with activation of the transmissions scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Saturday. Images from Roswell and Evpatoria, as well as loads of background information, are being made available via the Cosmic Call Web site, publicist Susan Schonfeld said.
This call was actually scheduled for earlier this year, but Schonfeld said technical difficulties led to a postponement, with apologies from the Ukrainian government. But as of late Thursday, all systems are go for this weekend’s attempt.
“Everything has been tested,” Schonfeld said. “The scientists are on the base.”
The Cosmic Call will be directed at five stars that are considered capable of harboring life-supporting planets: 55 Cancri in the constellation Cancer, 47 Ursa Majoris in the constellation Ursa Major, HIP 26335 in Orion, HIP 7918 in Andromeda and HIP 4872 in Cassiopeia.
The most prominent groups in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence have generally stayed away from transmitting messages crafted for E.T., saying that it makes more sense right now to listen politely instead. Besides, we’re already sending out wide-angle messages through the commercial airwaves, although the meaning behind the current crop of reality-TV shows might be harder to decipher than the Arecibo message. Nevertheless, in recent years, organizations such as the SETI Institute have been giving more thought to the issues involved in crafting interstellar messages.
Will transmitting the Cosmic Call make a difference? What would you say, and what would you avoid telling the aliens? Let me know what you think.
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