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Aliens are all over the news. Since the ex-US military officer's testimony on the government's alleged possession of extra-terrestrial objects, interest in the extra-terrestrial has grown immensely. Recently, news broke of Japanese astronomers expecting back alien signals after transmitting radio signals to space four decades ago in hopes of confirming extra-terrestrial life.
The astronomers sent signals using Stanford University's telescope, depicting the human race's appearance and the Earth's evolution in 1983. The signals were focused on a star named Altair, which is 16.7 lightyears away from Earth and exists in the Aquila Constellation.
There will only be one hour to receive any potential alien message
It has been 40 years since Japanese astronomers Masaki Morimoto and Hisashi Hirabayashi sent the signals to Altair on August 15, 1983. The message was intended to depict the evolution of life on Earth and the current appearance of human beings. They contained 13 drawings of the same, alongside illustrations of the human DNA structure.
Altair, the 12th brightest star in the night sky, was chosen as the star they would transmit the signals to due to its potentially habitable environment that has the possibility to house extra-terrestrial life. However, the star's lack of planets does lower the chances of getting a response.
On August 22, 2 pm BST, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will scan the skies for any replies. The team led by Shinya Narusawa will employ a 64-metre-wide antenna in Saku to scan for signals. There will only be one hour to hear any potential messages.
The date of August 22 was chosen for its significance in Japan’s Tanabata star festival, which takes place on the seventh day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar. The festival celebrates the meeting of the two deities, Orihime and Hikoboshi. The latter deity is represented by Altair.
Team leader Shinya Narusawa is confident about the reception of the message among potential alien life around the star. He told the Japanese newspaper, The Asahi Shimbun:
"A large number of exoplanets have been detected since the 1990s."
"Altair may have a planet whose environment can sustain life," he added.
"Came up with that idea while drinking": Hisashi Hirabayashi
Despite the optimism, a few factors point towards having a low chance of success with the reception of alien signals. The original signals were actually sent in collaboration with a Japanese comic anthology.
A Gizmodo report from 2008 talked about a re-discovered e-mail sent by Hisashi Hirabayashi and Masaki Morimoto. Hirabayashi stated that the duo was drunk when they came up with the idea. He stated that he:
"came up with that idea while drinking. The aliens probably won't understand that (kanpai and toast) part."
This was about the inclusion of the kanji characters for "kanpai!", the molecular formula of ethanol, and the English word for "toast" in the messages sent to potential aliens.
"I believe in aliens, but they are very difficult to find," Hirabayahsi said.
The scientist claimed that he was still happy to have sent out the message, which he deemed "good enough" due to all the responses he got from schoolchildren everywhere.
