The Universe is Big and Full of Wonders
In the big, wide universe, a group of astronomers are on a mission. They’re searching near a new supernova for signs of alien life.
The team is from various places, including the University of Washington, the SETI Institute, Yale University, and Smith College.
What’s a Supernova and Why is it Important?
A supernova is when a star explodes and shines super bright before fading away. The supernova these astronomers are interested in is called SN 2023ixf.
It’s in a galaxy known as the Pinwheel Galaxy, which is in the same direction from Earth as a group of stars we call the Big Dipper.
This supernova was first seen by a Japanese astronomer named Koichi Itagak on May 19. It’s one of the closest supernovas to Earth we’ve seen in a long time.
Even though it’s still very far away—about 21 million light-years—it’s pretty close for space distances!
Why Do We Think Aliens Might Be Nearby?
The researchers think that if there are smart aliens living near this supernova, they might use the big explosion to get our attention.
Since everyone would be looking at the supernova, they could send us a message while we’re looking that way.
The supernova is a special kind called Type II, which means it used to be a star that was at least eight times bigger than our Sun. The light from its explosion can be seen for several months to a few years.
How Are We Looking for Aliens?
The researchers are using something they call a “SETI ellipsoid.” That’s a fancy name for an egg-shaped area in space around the supernova.
This is where they think we might get a signal from aliens, based on when the light from the supernova would reach both us and them. This area includes about 100 stars.
The team is using data from two big telescopes to look for these alien signals. One is the Allen Telescope Array and the other is the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope.
What’s Next in Our Alien Hunt?
Over the next few months, the team will check the data from around the supernova once a month.
They know that finding an alien signal is a long shot, but they believe it’s worth trying. After all, if the aliens did send a signal and we weren’t listening, we’d really regret it!
The study was published in arXiv.
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