Asteroids In the Fields of View of the “Big Ear” Radio Telescope at the Time of the Wow! Signal

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Authors: Conan McCann
Cited by: 0
References: 5

Abstract

Using the JPL/NASA “Small Body Identification Tool” and the Minor Planet Center “MPChecker,” I found the asteroids that were in or near the fields of view of the Ohio State University Radio Observatory (the “Big Ear”) at the time of the “Wow! Signal,” because no one else had checked asteroids in decades. As of November 6, 2025, I had found 12 asteroids in the original fields of view as defined by Ehman, two asteroids in the new fields of view from Méndez, and 23 “near misses,” asteroids just outside those fields of view. I note that one asteroid found, 28431 (1999 XO136), has an oddly high geometric albedo of 0.767. I recommend someone with access to a large radio telescope monitor all those asteroids for at least a few hours, as part of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life Astro and Planetary Science Planetary Science and Exploration

Publication details

Publication date
3 March 2026
Language
EN
Document type
Preprint