BBC and EQ Pegasi

Damien Broderick (damien@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au)
Sat, 31 Oct 1998 12:23:20 -0500

Latest post on the BBC site

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_203000/203133.stm

sez:

< At first the part-time astronomer who discovered the signals

             would not reveal his identity. However he has since been
             named as Paul Dore of Siemens Plessey Systems in the UK. 

             He has been using a small radio telescope belonging to his
             firm to scan the sky for intelligent signals. 

             On October 22 and on the following night, he reported
             detecting signals from the EQ Pegasi star system which is 22
             light years away. 

             The signals were not the type that occurs naturally. The data
             has been distributed to several astronomers and
             observatories. 

             However astronomers at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in
             England say it is all a case of mistaken identity. Astronomer
             Ian Morrison told BBC News Online: "I think he has detected
             signals from a satellite." >

Other evidence more strongly suggests either that Dore's story changes when challenged, or (remote possibility) some hasty disinformation moves.

Damien Broderick