When John Lennon wrote the classic Beatle’s song “Across the Universe,” he probably never dreamed that that is exactly where the Beatle’s classic would end up. On February 4, NASA celebrated the 50th anniversary of the very first space mission. In honor of the occasion, NASA used a huge networked array of antennas that normally scan the heavens for incoming signals from space to transmit a broadcast out into the cosmos.
NASA broadcast the Beatles song “Across the Universe” out into space in what will be the most powerful extraterrestrial transmission ever conceived by humankind. Coincidentally, the Beatle’s song was recorded exactly 40 years ago on February 4th 1968, making it the perfect choice for a musical message to the universe.
The broadcast signal was aimed in the direction of Polaris, which is also known as the North Star, and is located 431 light-years from Earth. The song should also be audible in some locations here on earth. And just to increase the power of the songs broadcast out into the heavens, NASA has been encouraging Beatles fans and the public at large to play the song themselves at 7 p.m. Monday night, the scheduled time of the interstellar broadcast.
Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles seemed humbled and pleased by NASA’s inclusion of the Beatles tune, saying “well done, NASA! Send my love to the aliens.” Perhaps coincidentally, the new film by director Julie Traymor entitled “Across the Universe” debuted on DVD the following Tuesday, February 5. The film, which uses a soundtrack of classic Beatles songs including Across the Universe, has received rave reviews by critics, and has been nominated for an Oscar.
It is rare indeed for NASA to use its array of large, deep-space-probing antenna in order to broadcast a signal. Normally the array listens quietly for any signs of electromagnetic activity in deep space. The system is also used for receiving data from space probes, as they fulfill their missions throughout the solar system and beyond.
But it is not rare for the Earth to send out electromagnetic signals into space. In fact, day to day human activity, including television and radio broadcasts, emits billions of electromagnetic signals out into the ether. Even so, there is no denying that no one has ever attempted to broadcast a signal out into the cosmos as powerfully as the NASA networked antenna array broadcast this Monday. The real question is, is there anyone out there listening?
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