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Astronomers may have found giant alien 'megastructures' orbiting a star in the Milky Way

andrew123

By andrew123
in Science & Spaceflight

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Aethon

Aethon

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http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1511/1511.01606.pdf

Abstract

We report on a search for the presence of signals from extraterrestrial intelligence in the direction of the star system KIC 8462852. Observations were made at radio frequencies between 1 – 10 GHz using the Allen Telescope Array. No narrow band radio signals were found at a level of 180 – 300 Jy in a 1 Hz channel, or wide band signals above 100 Jy in a 100 kHz channel.

These limits correspond to isotropic radio transmitter powers of 4 – 7 10^15 W and 10^20 W for the narrow band and moderate band observations. These can be compared with Earth’s strongest transmitters, including the Arecibo Observatory’s planetary radar (21013 W EIRP). Clearly, the energy demands for a detectable signal from KIC 8462852 are far higher than this terrestrial example (largely as a consequence of the distance of this star).

Additionally, it’s worth noting that any society able to construct a Dyson swarm will have an abundant energy source, as the star furnishes energy at a level of ~10^27 watts.This report represents a first survey placing upper limits on anomalous flux from KIC8462852. We expect that this star will be the object of additional observations for years tocome

Edited by Aethon
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Rakaydos

Rakaydos

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Yup, no television in this Dyson sphere ... :wink:

http://www.seti.org/seti-institute/ata-checks-out-star-kic8462852

" This rules out omnidirectional transmitters of less than approximately 100 times today’s total terrestrial energy usage in the case of the narrow-band signals, and ten million times that usage for broad band emissions."

Yea, we cant see crap.

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Findthepin1

Findthepin1

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Why would they use radio? If they're building stuff like that nowadays, they're probably going to be communicating with something better than radio. Something less hackable, or something more efficient. Or both. Lasers, quantum entanglement, maybe little gravitational waves inside an empty pocket dimension. Not radio. They're a type 1.95 or so, constructing their Dyson Sphere to launch them to Type 2. We're a Type 0.73. They're much more advanced than we are, and like we seem to be on the path to doing, they probably stopped using radio among common society centuries ago. If they used radio at all. Basically, we can't see their transmissions unless we can literally see them. Which it seems we can't.

Edited by Findthepin1
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PB666

PB666

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http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/scientists-take-a-closer-look-find-no-evidence-of-alien-megastructures/

- - - Updated - - -

Ok, How do you detect technology we haven't discovered. We can only look for things we know about.

If we reversed the direction of the cannae drive frome space i wonder if it could be possible to detect whether someone elese was using a similar type drive elsewhere?

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Mazon Del

Mazon Del

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It's not super surprising that they did not detect any radio signals. Over the years the data has been piling up suggesting that "leakage" from civilizations (IE: Not specifically targeted messages) will fade from detection far faster than earlier believed. At our highest noise level we probably wouldn't have detected ourselves at that range. If we/they pointed a dish right at us and slammed out, we'd hear it pretty easily though.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Streetwind

Streetwind

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Well, mostly it supports the invalidity of other theories. Which is close to, but not entirely the same thing.

Still, I found the image the article paints of that solar system interesting. A giant cloud of comets, trailing behind a larger body on a super-eccentric orbit... there's probably nothing similar we've seen to date.
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problemecium

problemecium

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Yep.
I'll rehash what I brought up earlier - advanced civilizations have plenty of reasons to phase out high-powered radio communications, so the survey proves pretty much nothing other than the fact that they haven't spent the last thousand years trying to kill us with a giant EMP cannon ;P
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YNM

YNM

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[quote name='DBowman']Are there currently scopes that can/will pick up occlusions? When is the next one due if it keeps up about two year period?[/QUOTE]
Even your backyard telescope can as long as you calibrate it correctly and gives all the errors properly. Aand a capable detector...
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More Boosters

More Boosters

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On 08.11.2015 05:23:15, PB666 said:

http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/scientists-take-a-closer-look-find-no-evidence-of-alien-megastructures/

- - - Updated - - -

If we reversed the direction of the cannae drive frome space i wonder if it could be possible to detect whether someone elese was using a similar type drive elsewhere?

Well sure, it would work, we just purer dilithium crystals and to reverse the polarity.

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Findthepin1

Findthepin1

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On 11/26/2015, 12:45:14, DBowman said:

Are there currently scopes that can/will pick up occlusions? When is the next one due if it keeps up about two year period?

April 2017. Although we really have no idea whether the two transits we saw are actually the same object yet, they could be two separate objects/swarms of objects that happened to transit 720 days apart. That's not as likely as a single object/swarm of objects, though.

Edited by Findthepin1
720 days, not 730
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Aethon

Aethon

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New paper form my alma mater.

 

KIC 8462852: THE INFRARED FLUX

Wow.  That's big.  Sorry.

Abstract

We analyzed the warm Spitzer/IRAC data of KIC 8462852. We found no evidence of infrared excess at 3.6 μm and a small excess of 0.43 ± 0.18 mJy at 4.5 μm below the 3σ threshold necessary to claim a detection. The lack of strong infrared excess 2 years after the events responsible for the unusual light curve observed by Kepler further disfavors the scenarios involving a catastrophic collision in a KIC 8462852 asteroid belt, a giant impact disrupting a planet in the system or a population of dust-enshrouded planetesimals. The scenario invoking the fragmentation of a family of comets on a highly elliptical orbit is instead consistent with the lack of strong infrared excess found by our analysis.

http://arxiv.org/pdf/1511.07908v1.pdf

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Spaceception

Spaceception

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10 minutes ago, insert_name said:

sorry to necro this thread, but more news, this star has apparently been dimming over the last century

http://www.cnet.com/news/the-weird-star-system-scientists-have-been-checking-for-aliens-just-got-weirder/

So.... For the last century (From our point of view) Aliens have been busy constructing a Dysons sphere? Cool!! (Somewhat jk)

Edited by Spaceception
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