An "e-mail" message from aliens inhabiting the Altair solar system could reach Earth within 7 years, some astronomers suggest. The alien message would come in response to a radio-wave signal sent toward Altair 25 years ago by Japanese astronomer Hisashi Hirabayashi, who suggests we may receive a reply as early as the year 2015 if intelligent aliens received, decoded and responded quickly to the message. Altair is located approximately 16 light-years from Earth.

Hirabayashi, a former researcher at the University of Tokyo Astronomical Observatory (now known as the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan), along with colleague Masaki Morimoto, sent the message via a US radio telescope in 1983 on the Tanabata holiday, a traditional Japanese star festival celebrating the annual meeting of two stars -- Vega (which represents the goddess Orihime) and Altair (which represents the god Hikoboshi) -- in the night sky.

The message, which is believed to have reached Altair in 1999, consisted of 13 binary-encoded images (71 x 71 pixels each) that showed, among other things, the characteristics of our solar system, the location of our planet, the known chemical elements, whole numbers, human characteristics, and the basic structure of DNA. Their message also attempted to explain biological evolution with a depiction of mammals evolving from primeval life forms (see the image above of the fish crawling onto land).

Hirabayashi theorizes that if the aliens are intelligent enough to receive radio-wave signals, they should recognize that the data consists of 13 images and they should be able to send a reply. But Hirabayashi is not holding his breath. "I believe aliens exist, but they are difficult to find," he says. "We haven't even observed any planets around Altair, so it is highly unlikely we will receive a response."

Hirabayashi's original illustrations, which went missing for many years, were recently discovered at the Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory, where Morimoto works as an advisor. Strangely, one of the pictures sent to Altair includes the molecular formula for ethanol along with the kanji characters for kanpai (the Japanese toast of "cheers!") and the English word "TOAST."

"I came up with that idea while drinking," Hirabayashi playfully admits. "The aliens probably won't understand that part."

[Source: Sankei]

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UPDATE -- According to this graphic, the message to Altair included descriptions of the following:

- Whole numbers, prime numbers, definition of lengths
- Addition, multiplication
- Main chemical elements, atomic structure
- Solar system data (size of sun/planets, distance of planets from sun)
- DNA structure and basic composition
- History of terrestrial biological evolution (primeval life forms, fish, amphibians, anthropoids, etc.)
- Image of human form and face, number of human genes
- World population
- Message transmission frequency
- Chemical formula for ethanol
- Kanji character for kampai (Cheers!), English word "TOAST"

This past weekend, a group of 66 Japanese astronomers gathered to discuss the proper course of action to take in the event a signal from an extraterrestrial intelligence is discovered. The astronomers, who met specifically to determine which national authorities to notify after receiving an alien signal, failed to reach a decision before the meeting was adjourned.

According to the Declaration of Principles Concerning Activities Following the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence -- a set of guidelines adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and other international astronomy organizations -- the discoverer of an alien signal is strictly prohibited from informing the general public until after he/she verifies that the signal is extraterrestrial in origin, informs other observers or research organizations involved so that they can independently observe and monitor the signal, and notifies the "relevant national authorities."

While these guidelines have existed for nearly 20 years, the Japanese SETI community has never formally discussed who exactly Japan's "relevant national authority" is until this weekend's conference. The meeting was held at the Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory (NHAO) in Hyogo prefecture, which for the past several years has been using its 2-meter NAYUTA telescope (Japan's largest) to search the heavens for high-intensity laser pulses sent our way by an extraterrestrial civilization attempting to communicate.

At the meeting, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications were named as possible "relevant national authorities," but some participants rejected these nominations and called the IAU's adopted guidelines into question by repeatedly warning that government authorities might cover up the truth if given a monopoly over the information.

In the end, the astronomers agreed to form a working group to study the issue, and they plan to announce their decision in 2009, which has been named the International Year of Astronomy. Should aliens establish contact in Japan before then, it will be up to the discoverer to decide who to notify.

[Source: Yomiuri]