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The Planetary Report • March/April 1983
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)
On the Cover: In this photograph, taken in the direction of the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, there are, very roughly, a million stars. Optimistic estimates on the abundance of galactic civilizations suggest that a million stars must be examined before we have a fair chance of detecting an alien signal. This is one reason that serious SETI programs require substantial commitments of time.
Features
4 Searching for Signals from Extraterrestrial Civilizations: Paul Horowitz explains how we're scanning the skies for signs of intelligent life beyond Earth.
6 The NASA SETI Program: Samuel Gulkis and John H. Wolfe describe the goals of NASA's SETI program.
8 In Search of Other Worlds: George D. Gatewood, Nancy Nowakowski Robinson, and Frank D. Drake explain how scientists are hunting for planets outside of our solar system.
9 Detecting Extrasolar Planetary Systems: David C. Black looks at how to find extrasolar planets.
12 A Talk with Philip Morrison: Charlene Anderson sits down with one of the SETI pioneers.
16 The Search from Arecibo: Jill Tarter discusses how she and her colleagues are using the radio telescope at Arecibo to hunt for extraterrestrial intelligence.
17 Southern SETI: Thomas B. H. Kuiper and Samuel Gulkis present The Planetary Society's collaboration with American and Australian investigators to search the southern hemisphere skies for life.
20 Help Examine a Mysterious Asteroid: The Planetary Society's Pallas Project: Clark Chapman explains how you can participate in this project—all you need is good eyes, an accurate watch, and a willingness to stay up late on a Saturday night!
Departments
15 News & Reviews Moonrocks, Europan habitability, tides on Titan, and starving dinosaurs.
19 World Watch Changing from "Washington Watch" to "World Watch" at the Society goes global.
22 Society Notes Mars, SETI, meetings, and a new book on the planets.
The Planetary Report • March/April 1983
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