The SETI Observer

Dear SETI enthusiasts:

Over the years, I've watched SETI Institute research teams deploy to distant corners of the planet; literally from top to bottom. Projects have taken Institute scientists to Devon Island within the Arctic Circle, a Mars-like terrain, and to the planet's "underside" at the South Pole where photometric equipment "stares" at star systems to find close-orbiting, Jupiter-like planets.

Right now, we're following the progress of two research teams. This month, Institute scientists Drs. Nathalie Cabrol and Edmond Grin will collect samples of the hardy life that thrives in a volcanic crater lake high in the Chilean Andes. While their expedition wraps up, our Project Phoenix team will be in the middle of our next-to-last observing session at the world's largest single-dish radio telescope in Puerto Rico.

These two projects; one from the Institute's Center for the Study of Life in the Universe, and the other from our Center for SETI Research, exemplify the breadth of astrobiology, the Institute's field of research.

The SETI Institute team, like our mission, is unified by the common theme of exploration. We are passionate in our quest to answer life's big questions. What is out there? Are we alone? What can we learn about our origins - and perhaps our destiny?

I invite you to join us in that quest as you explore our work in the links of this month's SETI Obersver.

Thomas Pierson
CEO, SETI Institute

For Project Phoenix staff members, life completely changes twice a year when observing commences at the world's largest telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Our scientists, engineers and technicians share their reflections on life in the field in Arecibo Diary entries. Software engineer Jane Jordan describes her experience down at the telescope in an entry from last Spring. Between November 17 and December 5, each Monday through Friday*, a new diary entry will offer readers a glimpse of observing life at the big dish.

Coming Soon: SETICam

Not everyone can sit in the control room of the world's largest radio telescope, but anyone with an internet connection can look inside when SETICam opens a window onto Project Phoenix observations this November 17th through December 12th. We'll offer two views from a pair of camera feeds, star maps of current observations, star logs of recent targets, glossaries and more. Set your bookmarks and mark your calendars!
Visit our SETICam page to set your bookmark.

Be one of the first five to answer the following question correctly and get a cool SETI Institute tee-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.

Select the most correct answer
Why does SETI software engineer Jane Jordan look for birdies at Arecibo?

1. Because the electronics internally generate signals that "sing" during SETI observations and these can only be identified by the observers in the control room.
2. So that signals that are inherent to the electronics equipment can be masked before observing begins.
3. To learn more about the Puerto Rican Lizard Cukoo, a common bird that nests in the trees outside the visitor cabins.
4. Because she is an avid golfer.

Pick the letter that most accurately completes this sentence:
Planet hunters observing at the South Pole

1. expect to find one or two Earth-like planets.
2. often see penguins and other exotic life forms.
3. look for large gas giants that orbit their stars closely.
4. are on site at the telescope only during the Antarctic night.

The correct answer is "C."
Many readers selected "A." Earth's atmosphere renders ground-based transit searches incapable of detecting the tiny amount of dimming caused by the transit of an Earth-sized planet across a star. Large, Jupiter-like gas giants in close in orbits are far more easily detected, and these are what the South Pole searchers expect to find.