By 
October 2nd, 2022
Credit: The Big Ear Observatory
The renowned “WOW! Signal” was a surprising anomaly detected in the radio spectrum on August 15, 1977 by the Ohio State University’s Big Ear radio telescope.
Later work identified the star 2MASS 19281982-2640123 as a potential Sun-like star from which the signal could have originated.
Jump to present day. A search has been carried out for technosignatures from this source using multi-telescope observations with both the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope and the newly refurbished Allen Telescope Array on May 21, 2022.
Credit: Palmer Square Press
Targeted search
Technosignatures is defined as potentially detectable signatures and signals of the presence of distant advanced civilizations.
“While blind searches using radio telescopes have been conducted in the general field of view in which the WOW! signal was first detected, this is the first time a targeted search has been done,” notes a report in Research Notes of the AAS (American Astronomical Society).
Lead author of the report — “Breakthrough Listen Search for the WOW! Signal” – is Karen I. Perez of the Department of Astronomy at Columbia University in New York.
2MASS 19281982-2640123, the star with the temperature, radius, and luminosity most similar to the Sun found in the WOW! Signal region, based on data from the Gaia Archive. Source: PanSTARRS/DR1
Number of sources
These simultaneous observations, the paper explains, “represent an attempt to prepare for verification in the case that future candidate technosignatures are identified by either telescope individually.”
Perez and colleagues report: “we find no trace of the WOW! signal.” “No technosignature candidates were detected.”
Big Ear Observatory courtesy of North American Astrophysical Observatory. In late 1997, after almost 40 years of operation, the Big Ear radio ceased operation. The telescope was destroyed in early 1998.
“There remain a significant number of sources that are either Sun-like and/or pass the criteria for having a habitable zone, and future observations could target these in followup of the WOW! Signal,” the researchers conclude.
To view “Breakthrough Listen Search for the WOW! Signal” go to:
Posted in Space News
I remember touring big ear back in the ’80s. They showed the WOW printout that was kept in a non important looking 3 ring binder.
I also got to walk out on the metal plated field and look at the dish and reflector.
It’s a shame that it was torn down to build a golf course and condos.
Check out this new documentary – talks about why it was finally torn down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjQUucV83w4
Also, the printout is now at the Ohio History Connection (formerly Ohio Historical Society).