A strange radio signal that seemed to emanate from a small nearby star instead probably came from Earth-orbiting satellites, astronomers now say.
Last week, one of the closest stars to Earth, Ross 128, was thought to have emitted radio signals that have left researchers at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory puzzled and fascinated. That made many space buffs jump to the first conclusion they always jump to.
“Bottom line: Astronomers at Arecibo Observatory observed a peculiar radio signal from the nearby star Ross 128,” said Deborah Byrd, EarthSky radio series editor-in-chief. “They aren’t saying ‘aliens,’ but the natural explanations have weaknesses.”
According to Space.com, although the signal was theoretically consistent with a transmission from an alien civilization, astronomers said that hypothesis was “at the bottom of many other explanations.” The leading candidates were flares from Ross 128, emissions from some other object in the same field of view as the star,
