[Datenschleuder] [40]    Eine Platte im Weltall

Eine Platte im Weltall The Pioneer F spacecraft, the first man-made object to journey beyond our solar system into interstellar space, carried this pictorial plaque, designed to show scientifically educated inhabitants of other star systems the origins of Pioneer. The gold-anodized plaque, measuring 152 by 229 mm (6 by 9 inches) was attached to the spacecraft's antenna support struts in a position intended to shield its design from interstellar dust. The design provides basic information about our solar system and its inhabitants. The radiating lines at left represent the positions of 14 pulsars-cosmic sources of radio energy-arranged to indicate our Sun as the home star of the launching civilization. The ,,1-'' symbols at the ends of the lines are binary numbers that represent the frequencies of the pulsars at the time of launch of Pioneer F relative to that of hydrogen atom, shown at the upper left with a ,,1'' unity symbol. The hydrogen atom is thus used as a ,,universal clock''; regular decreases in the frequencies of the of the pulsars will enable other civilizations to determine the time that has elapsed since Pioneer F was launched. The human figures represent the type of creature that created Pioneer. The man's hand is raised in a gesture of good will. The hydrogen wavelenght, about 8 inches, multiplied by the binary number representing ,,8'' (beside the woman), gives her height - 64 inches. Across the bottom of the plaque, the planets which form our solar system range outward from the Sun; the trajectory of the spacecraft traces its flight from Earth, passing Mars and Jupiter before leaving the solar system. (Courtes of NASA)'' Aus: Alonso/Fin, Fundamental University Physics, Addison-Wesley Stellt Dir vor, es landet ein Ufo, zwei Wesen steigen aus, und fragen Dich, was der Kram sollte...

[Datenschleuder] [40]    Eine Platte im Weltall