A Message From Earth
Encyclopedia
A Message from Earth is a high-powered digital radio signal that was sent on 9 October 2008 towards Gliese 581 c
, a large terrestrial
extrasolar planet
orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581
. The signal is a digital time capsule
containing 501 messages that were selected through a competition on the social networking site Bebo
. The message was sent using the RT-70
radar telescope of Ukraine
's National Space Agency
. The signal will reach the planet Gliese 581 c
in early 2029. More than half a million people including celebrities and politicians participated in the AMFE project, which was the world's first digital time capsule where the content was selected by the public.
As of October 7, 2011 the message has traveled 18.3 trillion miles of the 118 trillion mile trip.
The main consultant for the AMFE project was Dr. Alexander L. Zaitsev, an expert in interstellar radio communication and Chief Scientist of the Radio Engineering and Electronics Institute of the Russian Academy of Science.
The messages were selected in a competition hosted by Bebo, which more than 12 million Bebo users were invited to join. They were to be selected later through a web vote. An advanced third party application was developed for the AMFE project, which was integrated in Bebo's social network environment. Using this application, its users submitted text messages and pictures and drew images, which were translated into a binary format. Originally, an idea of interstellar radio message composition by the public, which are using special web site, was suggested by Alexander L. Zaitsev in 2002 in his abstract METI@home: Messages to ETI from home.
Gliese 581 c
, a planet orbiting around the red dwarf
star Gliese 581
, was chosen as the target of the message. This planet was chosen since it was believed to be capable of supporting life. Gliese 581c is 20 light years
away from Earth, and the message would reach the planet in early 2029. The project was funded by advertisements, and the cost of $40,000 was borne by RDF Digital for the transmission which took four and a half hours.
The A Message from Earth mission team in Yevpatoria comprised:
A vote was held on a dedicated Bebo page to select the 501 messages that were to be included in the digital time capsule, when its users had submitted their messages. This vote was closed on September 30, 2008 and the 501 messages that had received the most votes were chosen to be included.
, Deborah Meaden
, Gillian Anderson
and pop band McFly
.
The message also included images of notable landmarks, such as the London Eye
and Edinburgh Castle
, and of famous people, such as Hillary Clinton, Cheryl Cole
and Richard and Judy
.
Experts' views on the messages indicated that even though the messages may seem unimportant, they will serve the purpose of conveying the message that there is intelligent life in Earth, if the message is received by alien life.
Zaitsev had also observed that it would be interesting to see young people's views on humanity and Earth. A senior astronomer from the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence Institute in California, Seth Shostak
, had observed that it is unimportant whether the aliens who might receive the messages would understand them.
, located in Yevpatoria.
The message, traveling at light speed, passed the Moon
in 1.3 seconds and passed Mars
in 4 minutes. It had left the solar system within 20 hours.
Gliese 581 c
Gliese 581 c or Gl 581 c is a planet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581. It is the second planet discovered in the system and the third in order from the star. With a mass at least 5.6 times that of the Earth, it is classified as a super-Earth...
, a large terrestrial
Terrestrial planet
A terrestrial planet, telluric planet or rocky planet is a planet that is composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals. Within the Solar System, the terrestrial planets are the inner planets closest to the Sun...
extrasolar planet
Extrasolar planet
An extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, is a planet outside the Solar System. A total of such planets have been identified as of . It is now known that a substantial fraction of stars have planets, including perhaps half of all Sun-like stars...
orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581
Gliese 581
Gliese 581 is a red dwarf star with spectral type M3V, located 20.3 light years away from Earth in the constellation Libra. Its estimated mass is about a third of that of the Sun, and it is the 89th closest known star system to the Sun. Observations suggest that the star has at least six planets:...
. The signal is a digital time capsule
Time capsule
A time capsule is an historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians...
containing 501 messages that were selected through a competition on the social networking site Bebo
Bebo
Bebo is a social networking website launched in July 2005. It is currently owned and operated by Criterion Capital Partners after taking over from AOL in June 2010....
. The message was sent using the RT-70
RT-70
There are three radio telescopes designated RT-70, all in countries that were once part of the former Soviet Union, all with similar specifications: 70m dishes and an operating range of 5–300 GHz...
radar telescope of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
's National Space Agency
National Space Agency of Ukraine
The State Space Agency of Ukraine is the Ukrainian government agency responsible for space policy and programs....
. The signal will reach the planet Gliese 581 c
Gliese 581 c
Gliese 581 c or Gl 581 c is a planet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581. It is the second planet discovered in the system and the third in order from the star. With a mass at least 5.6 times that of the Earth, it is classified as a super-Earth...
in early 2029. More than half a million people including celebrities and politicians participated in the AMFE project, which was the world's first digital time capsule where the content was selected by the public.
As of October 7, 2011 the message has traveled 18.3 trillion miles of the 118 trillion mile trip.
Concept and plan
The idea for the project was raised by Oli Madgett of RDF Digital, who was later put in charge of its implementation. The purpose of the project was to "help capture young people's imaginations and inspire them to think about our own planet earth and humanity's impact upon it". The project was carried out by RDF Digital, a subsidiary of RDF Media Group, in partnership with the social networking site Bebo. RDF Digital originally planned to run the project through a stand-alone website, but later opted for a partnership with Bebo to help it to get more attention and spread the idea quickly.The main consultant for the AMFE project was Dr. Alexander L. Zaitsev, an expert in interstellar radio communication and Chief Scientist of the Radio Engineering and Electronics Institute of the Russian Academy of Science.
The messages were selected in a competition hosted by Bebo, which more than 12 million Bebo users were invited to join. They were to be selected later through a web vote. An advanced third party application was developed for the AMFE project, which was integrated in Bebo's social network environment. Using this application, its users submitted text messages and pictures and drew images, which were translated into a binary format. Originally, an idea of interstellar radio message composition by the public, which are using special web site, was suggested by Alexander L. Zaitsev in 2002 in his abstract METI@home: Messages to ETI from home.
Gliese 581 c
Gliese 581 c
Gliese 581 c or Gl 581 c is a planet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581. It is the second planet discovered in the system and the third in order from the star. With a mass at least 5.6 times that of the Earth, it is classified as a super-Earth...
, a planet orbiting around the red dwarf
Red dwarf
According to the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, a red dwarf star is a small and relatively cool star, of the main sequence, either late K or M spectral type....
star Gliese 581
Gliese 581
Gliese 581 is a red dwarf star with spectral type M3V, located 20.3 light years away from Earth in the constellation Libra. Its estimated mass is about a third of that of the Sun, and it is the 89th closest known star system to the Sun. Observations suggest that the star has at least six planets:...
, was chosen as the target of the message. This planet was chosen since it was believed to be capable of supporting life. Gliese 581c is 20 light years
Light Years
Light Years is the seventh studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released on 25 September 2000 by Parlophone and Mushroom Records. The album's style was indicative of her return to "mainstream pop dance tunes"....
away from Earth, and the message would reach the planet in early 2029. The project was funded by advertisements, and the cost of $40,000 was borne by RDF Digital for the transmission which took four and a half hours.
The A Message from Earth mission team in Yevpatoria comprised:
- Oli Madgett - mission commander
- Dave Coombs - payload commander
- Alice Levine - mission specialist
- James Cooper - mission specialist
- Jamie Morton - camera man
Competition
The project was launched on August 4, 2008. Bebo invited its users, celebrities and politicians to submit messages and pictures to be included in the digital time capsule. The submissions were expected to "consider the planet from a fresh perspective" and help to raise awareness on environmental pressures on Earth.A vote was held on a dedicated Bebo page to select the 501 messages that were to be included in the digital time capsule, when its users had submitted their messages. This vote was closed on September 30, 2008 and the 501 messages that had received the most votes were chosen to be included.
Public involvement
More than half a million Bebo users had got involved in the competition for selecting the messages, and had uploaded their messages onto the social networking site. Several celebrities were also involved in the project, including Sir Patrick MoorePatrick Moore
Sir Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore, CBE, FRS, FRAS is a British amateur astronomer who has attained prominent status in astronomy as a writer, researcher, radio commentator and television presenter of the subject, and who is credited as having done more than any other person to raise the profile of...
, Deborah Meaden
Deborah Meaden
Deborah Meaden is a British business woman who ran a multi-million pound family holiday business, before completing a management buyout...
, Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
and pop band McFly
McFly
McFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records...
.
Messages
501 of the submitted text messages, photographs and drawings were selected to be transmitted in the digital time capsule. These messages were on various topics, such as the contributors' own lives and ambitions, world peace and views of the Earth.The message also included images of notable landmarks, such as the London Eye
London Eye
The London Eye is a tall giant Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames, in London, England.It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually...
and Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
, and of famous people, such as Hillary Clinton, Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
and Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy is the name informally given to Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, a married couple who are both British television presenters and columnists. Since their marriage, their television appearances have been largely made as a couple. They are best known for presenting This Morning and...
.
Experts' views on the messages indicated that even though the messages may seem unimportant, they will serve the purpose of conveying the message that there is intelligent life in Earth, if the message is received by alien life.
Zaitsev had also observed that it would be interesting to see young people's views on humanity and Earth. A senior astronomer from the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence Institute in California, Seth Shostak
Seth Shostak
Seth Shostak is an American astronomer. He grew up in Arlington, VA and earned his physics degree from Princeton University and a Ph.D...
, had observed that it is unimportant whether the aliens who might receive the messages would understand them.
Launch and transmission
The launching of the composed message as a digital time capsule took place on 9 October 2008, at 06:00 GMT. The message, containing all selected 501 text messages and images, was translated into a binary format and included in the digital time capsule. It was transmitted in a high-powered radio wave emitted from the RT-70 interstellar radiotelescope of the National Space Agency of UkraineNational Space Agency of Ukraine
The State Space Agency of Ukraine is the Ukrainian government agency responsible for space policy and programs....
, located in Yevpatoria.
The message, traveling at light speed, passed the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
in 1.3 seconds and passed Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
in 4 minutes. It had left the solar system within 20 hours.