Comments on: Odd signals from red dwarf Ross-128 https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/17/odd-signals-from-red-dwarf-ross-128/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:56:17 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: hank https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/17/odd-signals-from-red-dwarf-ross-128/#comment-39726 hank Tue, 18 Jul 2017 18:48:44 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65598#comment-39726 My reason tells me ETI is not an option, but my heart still hopes. My reason tells me ETI is not an option, but my heart still hopes.

]]> By: RL https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/17/odd-signals-from-red-dwarf-ross-128/#comment-39723 RL Tue, 18 Jul 2017 17:10:11 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65598#comment-39723 The scientist's blog I linked to gives alternate explanations... It is just always interesting when the stars surprise us... The scientist’s blog I linked to gives alternate explanations…

It is just always interesting when the stars surprise us…

]]> By: hank https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/17/odd-signals-from-red-dwarf-ross-128/#comment-39722 hank Tue, 18 Jul 2017 16:54:34 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65598#comment-39722 Ross 128 is one of the closest stars to the Sun, only 12 others (counting the Sun) are closer. The chances that there would be any SETI activity so nearby would be stretching coincidence unrealistically. Red dwarfs are known for their flares and other photospheric outbursts (one of the reasons they have always been considered a long shot for life) so its not unexpected that radio emission might be associated with those events. I wouldn't doubt most red dwarfs weren't similar, its just that this one is close enough that we can pick up the emission with our most sensitive antennas. All stars emit radio waves, even the Sun, but compared to other sources in deep space, they are relatively weak. This is why we don't normally hear about "radio stars". The Sun has flares, and other similar phenomena and magnetic plasma (hence radio) activity also, but it is so bright that they are considered relatively minor events. The same activity in a tiny, dim dwarf, would stand out a lot more. Anything is possible, but statistically, I doubt this will resolve itself as a SETI event. Ross 128 is one of the closest stars to the Sun, only 12 others (counting the Sun) are closer. The chances that there would be any SETI activity so nearby would be stretching coincidence unrealistically.

Red dwarfs are known for their flares and other photospheric outbursts (one of the reasons they have always been considered a long shot for life) so its not unexpected that radio emission might be associated with those events. I wouldn’t doubt most red dwarfs weren’t similar, its just that this one is close enough that we can pick up the emission with our most sensitive antennas. All stars emit radio waves, even the Sun, but compared to other sources in deep space, they are relatively weak. This is why we don’t normally hear about “radio stars”.

The Sun has flares, and other similar phenomena and magnetic plasma (hence radio) activity also, but it is so bright that they are considered relatively minor events. The same activity in a tiny, dim dwarf, would stand out a lot more.

Anything is possible, but statistically, I doubt this will resolve itself as a SETI event.

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