Radio source SHGb02+14a

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Radio source SHGb02+14a is a source and a candidate in the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI), discovered on March 2003 by SETI@home and announced in New Scientist on September 1, 2004.

The source was observed three times at a frequency of about 1420 MHz, which is expected to be a frequency used by extraterrestrials due to its proximity to one of the main frequencies at which hydrogen absorbs and radiates photons.

There are a number of puzzling features of this candidate, which have led to a large amount of skepticism. The source is located between the constellations Pisces and Aries, a direction in which no stars are observed within 1000 light years. It is also a very weak signal. The frequency of the signal has a rapid drift, which would correspond to it being emitted from a planet orbiting nearly 40 times faster than the Earth around the sun - however each time the signal was detected, it was at circa 1420 MHz, prior to it starting to drift.

There are also a number of potential explanations for this signal. It could be an artifact of random chance, cosmic noise or possibly just a glitch in the technology.

[edit] References

• Alexander, Amir. "SETI@home Leaders Deny Reports of Likely Extraterrestrial Signal", The Planetary Society, 2004-09-02. Retrieved on 2006-06-12.
• Reich, Euginie. "Mysterious signals from light years away", New Scientist, 2004-09-01. Retrieved on 2006-06-12.
• Whitehouse, David. "Astronomers deny ET signal report", BBC News, 2004-09-02. Retrieved on 2006-06-12.
• Gaussian Candidate SHGb02+14a. SETI@home. Retrieved on 2006-06-12.
• The SETI Signal. Retrieved on 2005-06-12.