2020-04-02_Science_Illustrated

DESTINATION

3 signals aimed

at intelligent life

New telescopes are discovering more destinations

where intelligent life might exist to receive our call.

Signals are headed for the most promising candidates.

HAMAL

Local super-Earth

to be taught music

1 In 2030, the GJ 273 b exoplanet will receive music bites from Earth.

GJ 273 b is orbiting about 10 times closer

to its star than Earth, but as the star is

weaker, the planet might include life.

10,000 messages hit

ball-shaped star cluster

2 The Wow! signal from 1977 came from the Messier 55 star cluster, but

the sender is unknown. In 2012, 10,000

tweets were sent towards the cluster,

which is about 15,500 light years away.

Locked world might have

inhabitable neighbours

3 In 2008, ‘A Message From Earth’ was sent to the Gliese 581 c planet,

which has one side always facing its star.

It has a climate similar to Venus, but two

neighbouring planets might include life.

PROCYON

(^1) EARTH
2
3
Messages
Destinations
Stars
Scientists think that
aliens would probably
have at least two eyes,
legs, and fingers.
CENPROXIMTAURIA FOMALHAUT
SIRIUS
ALTAIR
LOT
TE (^) F
RED
SLU
ND/
SHU
TTE
RST
OCK
NAS
A
NA
SA/
ESO
NA
SA/
ESO
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