spacecowboy2006
Cartographer
Reged: 12/01/05
Posts: 2295
Loc: Earth
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Begun in 1973, the Ohio State University SETI program is a continuously running electromagnetic Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence.
On August 15, 1977 while working on a SETI project at the Big Ear radio telescope of the Ohio State University, Dr. Jerry R. Ehman detected a signal which seemed to fit all the characteristics anticipated for communications of potential intelligent extra-terrestrial origin. It lasted for 72 seconds but has not been detected again. Amazed at how closely the signal matched the expected signature of an interstellar signal, Ehman circled the signal on the computer printout and wrote the comment "Wow!" on its side. Though over a hundred follow-on studies of the same region of the sky were performed, from several different radio observatories, the signal never repeated.
The code 6EQUJ5 describes the intensity variation of the signal. The "Wow!" sequence itself is not a message. The numbers and letters in the much-reproduced computer printout are merely a time-series representation of the signal amplitude, as received at the Big Ear radiotelescope. Specifically, the symbols represent the number of standard deviations by which the received signal exceeded average background noise.
Location of the signal: This region of the sky lies in the constellation Sagittarius, roughly 2.5 degrees south of the fifth-magnitude star Chi-1 Sagittarii (seen here as the blue star to the upper left).
The location of the signal in celestial coordinates was, at (epoch J2000.0)
Declination -26d57m ± 20m
Right Ascention -19h17m24s
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Pic is Mount Diablo, California; it is also the point setting for my snapshot default, because it is one of the most meaningful geographic places in the world.
Edited by spacecowboy2006 (05/16/08 08:51 PM)
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JavaGAR
Explorer
Reged: 10/07/06
Posts: 356
Loc: New York State
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spacecowboy2006:
For obvious reasons, the "Wow" signal fascinated people when it was first announced, and continues to capture much attention. This GEC post marked the spot where the Big Ear Radio Telescope, which detected the signal, was formerly located, and provides an illustration of Dr. Ehman's notations.
Some other sources of information:
SETI Institute: Interstellar Signal from the 70s Continues to Puzzle Researchers
The "Wow!" Signal: 30th Anniversary Report by Jerry R. Ehman, Ph.D.
The "Wow!" Signal: From the Cleveland Plain Dealer - Sunday Magazine section, September 18, 1994
Wikipedia: Wow! signal
SETI Institute
This might interest students -> Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates Program in Astrobiology at the SETI Institute
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kite_surfer
World Explorer
Reged: 12/27/06
Posts: 2175
Loc: groningen, netherlands
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don't forget to mention this link. 
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if you want to communicate better, learn telepathy.
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JavaGAR
Explorer
Reged: 10/07/06
Posts: 356
Loc: New York State
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That's a good GEC Fun and Games thread that you linked to, Kite. It even has photos of the source of the signal! 
Here's a BBC link with some additional interesting information.
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spacecowboy2006
Cartographer
Reged: 12/01/05
Posts: 2295
Loc: Earth
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other posts show the place where the signal was received, on the ground, mine (in sky mode) shows the direction from which the signal came : ))))
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Pic is Mount Diablo, California; it is also the point setting for my snapshot default, because it is one of the most meaningful geographic places in the world.
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