Was the WOW! Signal real, or just a fluke?

Question

During an early SETI experiment at Ohio State in the 1980's, a signal was detected by Big Ear, in the region of Sagittarius. Though it never repeated, it was so unusual, Dr. Ehman wrote "WOW!" next to it on the computer print out. The question is...what was it? A quasar? A programming error? An aberration? Miscalculations? Or a real radio transmission, on the hydrogen wavelength, from a non-terrestrial civilization? Have there been other WOW! signals that are not as well publicized?

Answer 1

Most likely telemetry accidentally intercepted from a satellite. Since it's standard procedure to eliminate known satellites from search areas, this would have been an unknown satellite, such as a Soviet spy satellite.

Answer 2

Hi. If there WAS going to be a signal detected then Sagittarius, being right near the galactic plane, would be one likely source. My opinion? An aberration. Many objects emit on the hydrogen wavelengths.

Answer 3

If there was another WOW! you can believe it would be publicized and referred to as gospel by the ET nuts- I mean "enthusiasts". No one knows what it was, but since it hasn't happened again, it's been ruled out as an extra terrestrial communication. That would be like knocking on a door and running away.

Answer 4

at the starting up, there is not any planet Sagittarius. it really is a constellation. certain the signal replaced into genuine. particular the authorities ought to waste money on Drones that ought to take tens of millions of years to get there. What should be the purpose?

Answer 5

It IS real, and is not an fluke, but there are lots of strange signals in the sky, which we still can't define. It MAY BE a quassar, it MAY BE atmospheric noise, it MAY BE an ordinary aircraft even, but honestly no body could define concretely what it was.