Amateur Astronomer Identifies Possible Source Of The 'WOW' Signal

[Jakin]

Hello everybody,

An approximation to determine the source of the WOW! Signal

https://arxiv.org/search/physics?searchtype=author&query=Caballero,+A

Authors: Alberto Caballero

Abstract: In this paper it is analysed which of the thousands of stars in the WOW! Signal region could have the highest chance of being the real source of the signal, providing that it came from a star system similar to ours. A total of 66 G and K-type stars are sampled, but only one of them is identified as a potential Sun-like star considering the available information in the Gaia Archive. This candidate source, which is named 2MASS 19281982-2640123, therefore becomes an ideal target to conduct observations in the search for potentially habitable exoplanets. Another 14 potential Sun-like stars (with estimated temperatures between 5,730 and 5,830 K) are also found in the region, but information about their luminosity and radius is unknown...

Best regards
Jakin

 

[Ascalon]

Saw this reported on Astronomy.com

Very interesting story and findings.

Intriguing.

 

[eburacum]

There are a number of somewhat closer K-type stars in this region as well, and these stars might support life-bearing planets for a much longer period than G-type Sun-like stars. So the 2MASS candidate might not be the best fit.

 

[Jakin]

Thank you very much for the information!

 

[eburacum]

I see that one of the criteria that Caballero uses is the likely distance of a nearby civilisation as derived by Claudio Maccone. This favours the star he mentioned, and disfavours closer stars. As a criterion for choosing a suitable candidate that is a little misleading; even if the closest civilisations have an average distance of 1933 ly, there could easily be examples much closer than that.