The Universe is infinite and vast, filled with endless wonders and a myriad of mysteries. We’re really only scratching the surface when it comes to identifying everything and figuring out what’s out there. And just when we think we have it all figured out (the planetary status of Pluto aside) something like Oumuamua or whatever these are come along and remind us that we really don’t have the faintest idea.
That’s why its important that we catalog everything. Because if we do so correctly it will make it far easier for us to make contact with alien lifeforms or even find places in the Universe in the first place that would be capable of supporting life (even if those places defy conventional wisdom).
It’s not an easy task. There’s a lot out there that needs to be cataloged. In fact, if Noah existed on a cosmic scale and wanted to take one of every known object in our observable Universe with him he would have to load up his ark with over 700 objects.
At least he’d have something to guide him: Breakthrough Listen’s Exotica Catalog, an expansive list of everything known to be in the expanse of space.
Science Alert explains:
“For convenience’s sake, the catalog is divided into four categories of objects: Prototypes, Superlatives, Anomalies, and a control sample.
The Prototype list contains at least one of every known kind of celestial object considered to be a realistic and valuable observation target. This includes planets and moons, stars of all ages (new, old, main sequence, red giant, etc.), star clusters, galaxies, quasars.
The Superlatives category includes objects that have the most extreme and/or record-breaking properties. Some examples include the hottest planet, stars with the highest metallicity, the most distant quasar, the fastest-spinning pulsar, the densest galaxy, etc.
The Anomalies category applies to targets whose behavior has managed to defy explanation so far.
Examples include ‘Tabby’s Star’ and its mysterious dimming patters; the interstellar object ‘Oumuamua’ that made a flyby of Earth in 2017; fast radio burst (FRBs), especially the repeating kind; and stars with excess infrared radiation, which could be interpreted as waste heat from a megastructure.
The control sample category rounds things out with a series of objects that are not expected to provide any positive results.
Ultimately, Breakthrough Listen hopes that with the help of the Exotica Catalog, astronomers will be able to answer some hard questions concerning SETI research. For starters, they hope to shed some more light on Fermi’s famous question – ‘Where is everybody?’ Or perhaps more accurately, why haven’t we heard from or found evidence of anybody out there?”
As impressive and important as this catalog is what may be even more impressive is the Breakthrough Listen Initiative itself. Just listen to how incredible this project sounds:
“Breakthrough Listen is the largest ever scientific research program aimed at finding evidence of civilizations beyond Earth. The scope and power of the search are on an unprecedented scale:
The program includes a survey of the 1,000,000 closest stars to Earth. It scans the center of our galaxy and the entire galactic plane. Beyond the Milky Way, it listens for messages from the 100 closest galaxies to ours.
The instruments used are among the world’s most powerful. They are 50 times more sensitive than existing telescopes dedicated to the search for intelligence.
The radio surveys cover 10 times more of the sky than previous programs. They also cover at least 5 times more of the radio spectrum – and do it 100 times faster. They are sensitive enough to hear a common aircraft radar transmitting to us from any of the 1000 nearest stars.
We are also carrying out the deepest and broadest ever search for optical laser transmissions. These spectroscopic searches are 1000 times more effective at finding laser signals than ordinary visible light surveys. They could detect a 100 watt laser (the energy of a normal household bulb) from 25 trillion miles away.
Listen combines these instruments with innovative software and data analysis techniques.
The initiative will span 10 years and commit a total of $100,000,000.”
Totally worth it.
Is Breakthrough Listen’s Exotica Catalog the Greatest Idea Ever?
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