SearchLites - Vol 25 No 3

Magazine Overview

SearchLites, Vol. 25 No. 3, Summer 2019, is the quarterly newsletter of The SETI League, Inc. This issue features an "In Memoriam" for Dr. Owen K. Garriott, a prominent astronaut and radio amateur, and a guest editorial by Seth Shostak on searching for alien megastructures. It also includes minutes from the 25th Annual Membership Meeting and financial reports.

In Memoriam: Dr. Owen K. Garriott, W5LFL

The issue opens with a tribute to Dr. Owen K. Garriott, who passed away in April 2019 at the age of 88. Garriott was an electrical engineering professor at Stanford, a Skylab and Space Shuttle astronaut, and a dedicated radio amateur. He achieved a significant milestone in December 1983 by becoming the first person to operate a ham radio station in space during the STS-9 mission. The article recounts his journey, starting with his amateur radio license at 15, which inspired his electrical engineering career and led him to become one of NASA's first scientist-astronauts in 1965. He had previously served as an electronics officer in the U.S. Navy and as a professor at Stanford. During his 1973 Skylab mission, NASA denied his request to operate ham radio equipment, but a decade later, he successfully operated the world's first ham radio station in low Earth orbit. This achievement is credited with capturing the imagination of radio amateurs worldwide and establishing ham radio as a regular feature of space missions.

Guest Editorial: Searching for Alien Megastructures

Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute, presents a guest editorial originally from the SETI Institute Journey eNewsletter dated April 24, 2019. Shostak questions the traditional SETI approach of searching for radio signals, suggesting an alternative strategy: searching for physical artifacts, or alien structures, that advanced civilizations might have constructed in space. He argues that this approach bypasses the need for aliens to intentionally communicate and avoids the "synchronicity" problem inherent in detecting transient radio signals. Shostak likens the difficulty of detecting signals to the improbability of two bullets intercepting each other in mid-air. He notes that even if aliens are transmitting, they might not know we are here due to the vast distances and time involved. Artifacts, however, could be discovered at any time, much like ancient human constructions such as the Great Wall of China or the Egyptian pyramids. Shostak discusses the concept of Dyson spheres, proposed by Freeman Dyson, as a potential alien megastructure that could cause a star to dim. While the dimming of Tabby's Star (KIC 8462852) was later attributed to natural dust, the concept of Dyson spheres remains plausible. He also mentions other search methods, such as looking for stars with excess infrared light or stars whose light is partially blocked by panels, as well as Daniel Hooper's idea of searching for "corralled" stars in nearby galaxies. Despite current efforts to find such structures being unsuccessful, Shostak suggests that searching for artifacts might offer a path to a Nobel Prize.

Minutes of the Twenty-Fifth Annual Membership Meeting

The minutes detail the 25th Annual Membership Meeting of The SETI League, Inc., held on April 14, 2019, at Eventide Inc. in Little Ferry, NJ. The meeting was called to order by Dr. H. Paul Shuch, with four SETI League members present, constituting a quorum for the approximately 150 members. The minutes of the previous year's meeting were accepted. The Treasurer's Report, presented by Dr. Shuch and Secretary/Treasurer Heather Wood, covered the calendar year 2018. Key financial figures included revenues of $30,108, expenses of $24,401, resulting in a surplus of $5,707. The year-end account balance was $21,663. The 2019 budget projected revenues of $12,000 and expenses of $19,000, anticipating a deficit of $4,000.

Executive Director's Report

Dr. H. Paul Shuch's report for 2018 highlighted the publication of four issues of SearchLites, SETI public lectures in various cities, 52 weekly website updates, and significant activity on The SETI League's Facebook page. He also issued press releases, conducted an interview, and received several honors, including election to a sponsored membership in the International Astronautical Union (IAU) and induction into the Sigma Pi Sigma physics honor society. He also advised astrophysics students on building a radio telescope.

Committee Reports

The Membership Committee reported four new members in 2018 and six new members in the current year. The EME (Earth-Moon-Earth) Committee reported no activity and no future prospects. The OSETI (Optical SETI) Committee reported that Mr. Factor is exploring high-speed optical data detectors and plans for an observatory in Sedona, AZ. The Awards Committee noted the resignation of chairman David Ocame, resulting in no Giordano Bruno or Orville N. Greene Awards being presented for 2018; only eight SETI SuperStar awards were given.

Old Business

Items under "Old Business" included the "Very Small Array" project, which remains on hold due to funding issues, though two groups of astrophysics students from Lycoming College toured the facility. Ms. Wood reported a successful 70% renewal rate for the annual renewal letters. The discontinuation of the formal Annual Report was noted, with financial updates continuing online and in SearchLites. The website server is functioning well, and a commercial email service is used. The "Interstellar Beacon" project, a research grant to Florida Institute of Technology, yielded disappointing results regarding the viability of achieving meaningful interstellar range, and the mission goals are being re-evaluated.

New Business

Under "New Business," the next Annual Meeting was scheduled for April 26, 2020. The SETI League's Facebook page had attracted 1,354 likes and 1364 follows. The Annual Membership Meeting was adjourned at 13:41 EDT on April 14, 2019, followed by a Board of Trustees meeting.

Business Transacted by Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees meeting convened at 13:54 EDT on April 14, 2019. A quorum was present. The following officers were re-elected for an additional one-year term: Richard Factor (President), A. Heather Wood (Secretary/Treasurer), H. Paul Shuch (Executive Director Emeritus), and Anthony Agnello (Registered Agent). Personnel matters included the Executive Director's health insurance premium cost-sharing terms. The draft 2019 Budget was adopted, projecting a deficit of $4,000. The Board thanked members of the Advisory Board for their service. The Secretary/Treasurer reported successful eFiling of the organizational tax return. Ms. Wood reported difficulties migrating the email press list. Telecommunications updates included Ms. Wood retrieving voicemails weekly, noting most are spam calls. New business items included the resignation of the volunteer Project Argus Coordinator and the disbandment of the EME Committee. The next Board of Trustees meeting was scheduled for April 26, 2020, following the next Annual Membership Meeting.

2019 SETI League Budget

A table details the proposed operating budget for 2019. Projected revenues are $15,000, with expenses totaling $19,000, resulting in a projected deficit of $4,000. The beginning net assets were $21,663, with projected ending net assets of $17,663.

Event Horizon

This section lists upcoming conferences and meetings relevant to SETI, encouraging readers to check the SETI League website or email for details. Events include Readercon 30 (Quincy, MA), Shore Leave 41 (Baltimore, MD), the 77th World Science Fiction Convention (Dublin, Ireland), Albicon 2019 (Albany, NY), Capclave 2019 (Rockville, MD), the 70th International Astronautical Congress (Washington DC), Philcon 2019 (Cherry Hill, NJ), the Twenty-Sixth SETI League Annual Membership Meeting (Little Ferry, NJ), Balticon 54 (Baltimore, MD), and the 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly (Sydney, Australia).

SETI SuperStar Award

SETI League members are encouraged to nominate SETI-relevant websites for the monthly SETI SuperStar Award. Nominations can be sent to Awards_at_setileague_dot_org, including the website URL and a brief explanation.

Financial Charts

Two pie charts illustrate The SETI League's 2018 revenues and expenses. Revenues were primarily from Contributions Received (87%), with Membership Dues (12%) and Membership Premiums (1%) making up the rest. Expenses were dominated by Grant Disbursements (33%), Program Expenses (58%), Fundraising (7%), and Admin & Overhead (2%).

Membership Renewal Information

Page 7 provides details for annual membership renewal, which is issued for the calendar year. It outlines various membership categories (Full, Supporting, Scholarship, Household, Life, Sustaining Life, Patron, Director, Benefactor) with corresponding annual dues. It also lists available membership premiums, such as pocket protectors, mouse pads, CD-ROMs, and books, with prices for US and elsewhere. Payment options include checks and PayPal.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the ongoing work and community of The SETI League, Inc. This includes commemorating significant figures in space exploration and amateur radio (Owen Garriott), exploring new scientific avenues in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (alien megastructures), and maintaining the organization's operational and financial health through annual meetings, reports, and membership drives. The editorial stance, particularly in Shostak's piece, is forward-thinking and open to exploring diverse methodologies within SETI, while the minutes and reports reflect a commitment to transparency and diligent management of the organization's resources. The publication also actively promotes engagement with its members and the broader scientific community through event listings and award nominations.