The SETI Observer

February 2005

In this Edition
•Thud!	•Getting Technical
•Size, Weight, and Sky Maps	•Alien Earths
•Quantum Goes Cosmic	•SETI Challenge
•Planets Beyond Our Sun?	•Previous Challenge

Dear SETI Enthusiast,

It is with mingled sadness and excitement that we start the new year at the SETI Institute. The terrible devastation of the Asian earthquake and tsunamis reminds us of the awe-inspiring power of geological forces that continue to shape our planet as well as other worlds in our solar system and beyond. Scientists, including many at the SETI Institute, continue to work to understand these forces and what part these events play in planet formation and the origins of life.

The release of the Huygens probe from the Cassini spacecraft in December and its successful landing on the surface of Titan in January are historic events as humankind makes a giant step forward in understanding this mysterious moon of Saturn. Cynthia Phillips explains early results from the probe in her article “ Similar But Different”. The SETI Institute’s radio show, “Are We Alone?”, hosted by Seth Shostak, also focused on the Huygens descent in the January 16^th broadcast. If you missed the show, visit the program’s archives by following the link at the bottom of the page.

As detailed in articles by Seth Shostak and by Dave DeBoer, project manager for the Allen Telescope Array (the Institute’s state-of-the-art successor to Project Phoenix), the Allen Telescope Array continues to move forward. I invite you to monitor its progress in these pages and to participate in the creation of this innovative, world-class telescope by joining TeamSETI by clicking on the link at the end of this newsletter.

A sample of the work done by SETI Institute scientists is found in the final article of a four-article series on Quantum Astronomy by Laurance Doyle. I have been very gratified by the number of readers his articles have attracted, and know that you will find this ultimate article of the series as thought-provoking as the previous three.

The SETI Institute is proud to be co-sponsoring Alien Earths, a new science exhibit at the University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Hall of Science, which opens February 5 and runs through early May. Institute scientists Seth Shostak, Dana Backman, and Emma Bakes will be on hand in February and March for live presentations. Check our Events Calendar for dates when TeamSETI members can visit the exhibit for free.

Warmest wishes from the SETI Institute for a happy and prosperous new year.

Thomas Pierson
CEO, SETI Institute

	Thud!
	What kind of surface would the Huygens probe find on Saturn's moon Titan? No one knew when the probe separated from the Cassini spacecraft in December. In Similar, But Different: Huygens Probe Unlocks Another Planet in our Solar System, Cynthia Phillips writes about the mission and the science behind the recent landing on Titan.

	Size, Weight, and Sky Maps
	Seth Shostak explains how even the first experiments with the early phases of the Allen Telescope Array will benefit both SETI research and radio astronomy. Read his article SETI's New Improved Model.

	Planets Beyond Our Sun?
	Humans have known about some of the Sun's children for millennia, but are there Earth-sized worlds beyond our solar system? Edna DeVore discusses new technologies and techniques that will help answer that question in Finding Other Worlds.

	Getting Technical
	The Allen Telescope Array requires innovative thinking and engineering in order to fulfill its function. Dave DeBoer, Project Manager of the Allen Telescope Array, explains some of the exciting technology created for this new telescope in his latest update.

	Alien Earths
	This new science exhibit, co-sponsored by the SETI Institute, is a hands-on experience that covers the search for life, as well as orients individuals to both the possibilities and the obstacles that figure into exploring space. Check our Events Calendar for dates when SETI Institute scientists will give live presentations, and TeamSETI members can enter free of charge.

SETI Challenge

Be one of the first five to answer the following question correctly and get a cool SETI Institute T-shirt. We'll post the answer in next month's e-newsletter. Choose the phrase that best completes this statement and send your answer to newsletter@seti.org:

When the Huygens probe landed on Titan, the SSP's nine sensors were used to make measurements of its surroundings. SSP is an acronym for:

1. Space Systems Protocols

2. Standard Science Parts

3. Saturn Spectrometer Panoply

4. Surface Science Package

Previous Challenge

Congratulations to James Worthington, Robert Cons, Craig Lang, Dave Neuman, and Joseph Giambo! They are the winners of the previous Challenge, where we asked you to choose the phrase that best completed the following statement:

"Non-commuting observables" are:

1. Persons who stay at home and watch television

2. A principle of quantum physics also known as "complimentary pairs"

3. An expression of the value of momentum in scientific experimentation

4. Motionless stars in the galaxy

The correct answer was: 2

Watch for another thought-provoking question in next month's e-newsletter.

You don't need a local radio station to listen to the SETI Institute's weekly radio show "Are We Alone ?". For access, information on the next program, and show archives, visit " Are We Alone? " at the SETI Institute website.

Not yet a TeamSETI member? Show your interest and support of the SETI Institute's projects and programs by joining TeamSETI. To sign up, click here .

*All individuals are eligible to win the SETI Challenge except SETI Institute staff members and their immediate family members or individuals who have submitted a winning entry within a 12 month period from the date of the current contest.

Email: newsletter@seti.org