Subj: Re: Seeking info on 70 Virginis (fwd) Date: 97-07-08 01:19:06 EDT From: n6tx@setileague.org (Dr. H. Paul Shuch) To: bdenzler@acpub.duke.edu CC: rcf@tide1.eventide.com, phikent@aol.com Your question regarding 70 Virginis was forwarded to me by SETI League president Richard Factor. This is one of those myths which just won't go away. It was based upon a remark taken out of context by a British journalist. Let me try to set the record straight about 70 Virginis: When the planet at 70Vir was discovered, Dan Werthimer of U.C. Berkeley SERENDIP project commented (it was at the January 1996 AAAS meeting in Baltimore, as I recall) that SERENDIP had already looked closely at 70Vir at 435 MHz, and that all the signals detected were statistically consistent with background noise. "Aha!" must have thought some journalist, "signals HAVE been detected!" That's what got reported in the newspapers in the UK, and it keeps surfacing. No signals, folks, just noise. (But that doesn't mean we shouldn't keep looking). BTW, when I've related this incident at conferences, I've been labeled "part of the Government coverup"! If you post this explanation to the UFO List, please be sure to assure them I'm not. Regards, H. Paul Shuch, Ph.D. Executive Director, The SETI League, Inc. ------------------------------- H. Paul Shuch, Ph.D. Executive Director, The SETI League, Inc. 433 Liberty Street, PO Box 555, Little Ferry NJ 07643 USA voice (201) 641-1770; fax (201) 641-1771; URL http://www.setileague.org/ email work: n6tx@setileague.org; home: drseti@csrlink.net "We Know We're Not Alone!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In a message dated 97-07-08 01:19:06 EDT, n6tx@setileague.org (Dr. H. Paul Shuch) writes: << Subj: Re: Seeking info on 70 Virginis (fwd) Date: 97-07-08 01:19:06 EDT From: n6tx@setileague.org (Dr. H. Paul Shuch) To: bdenzler@acpub.duke.edu CC: rcf@tide1.eventide.com, phikent@aol.com >Your question regarding 70 Virginis was forwarded to me by SETI League >president Richard Factor. This is one of those myths which just won't go > away. It was based upon a remark taken out of context by a British >journalist. Let me try to set the record straight about 70 Virginis: > When the planet at 70Vir was discovered, Dan Werthimer of U.C. >Berkeley SERENDIP project commented (it was at the January 1996 AAAS >meeting in Baltimore, as I recall) that SERENDIP had already looked closely >at 70Vir at 435 MHz, and that all the signals detected were statistically >consistent with background noise. "Aha!" must have thought some >journalist, "signals HAVE been detected!" That's what got reported in the >newspapers in the UK, and it keeps surfacing. No signals, folks, just >noise. (But that doesn't mean we shouldn't keep looking). 1. What UK publication broke the Virginis/SETI story? Mainstream? 2. Does Dr. Paul Butler, U.C. Berkeley, have input into the SETI agenda in conjunction with the search for extrasolar planetary search. How does this work? Does SETI ever cue Dr. Geoff Marci and Dr. Paul Butler to look in regions where anomalous signals have been detected? Which comes first the signal or the planet? note (not yours, I realize) from: http://www.the-cure.com/OBSERVATORY.html soon after the planets' discovery was announced, seti (the search for extra terrestrial intelligence) ran a quick check on their records, and discovered a number of anomalous signals coming from the direction of 70 virginis. (joe mcnally - fortean times magazine) 3. What is Dan Werthimer's role; ie, what is the mission of SERENDIP, and does SERENDIP work hand-in-hand towards finding remote planets? 4. You indicate that SETI will continue to scan 70 Virginis. What is the objective, or why the additional curiosity? Note (not yours, I realize) from: http://www.the-cure.com/OBSERVATORY.html seti's serendip 3 project has announced that they intend to carry out a new search of the 70 virginis area... (joe mcnally - fortean times magazine) 5. As reported by NASA(?) on URL: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960130.html "The planet, designated 70 Vir b for short, was discovered by very slight periodic shifts in its colors. Defining characteristics of this planet include that it is at least eight times the mass of Jupiter, it's orbit is much smaller than Jupiter's, and it's temperature allows water to exist in liquid form - like on the Earth. Life on Earth is based on liquid water - could life exist here too?" How are such details such as size, mass, temperature, possibility of water, etc., determined about a world so distant? Did SETI data influence these amazing observations? 6. And last but most important: where have anomalous signal been found? Many of us are still trying to deal with "teasing information" dating back as far as Project OZMA. After all you indicate: "We Know We're Not Alone!" What do you know? > BTW, when I've related this incident at conferences, I've been >labeled "part of the Government coverup"! If you post this explanation to >the UFO List, please be sure to assure them I'm not. > Regards, > H. Paul Shuch, Ph.D. > Executive Director, The SETI League, Inc. I will post your entire clarification at: http://members.aol.com/phikent/contact.html Thank you for help in understanding. Responses to my above questions would be valuable to us all who are now reeling from the barrage of new astronomical information. Kent Steadman Faculty, emeritus, Fresno City College, CA (1966-88) http://members.aol.com/phikent/contact.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------