How Many Alien Probes Could Have Come From Stars Passing By Earth?

£5.00

J. Benford. (2021), JBIS, 74. pp.76-80

Refcode: 2021.74.76

Abstract:

Stars come very close to our solar system frequently. About two stars per million years come within a light year. An extraterrestrial civilization that passes nearby can see there is an ecosystem here, due to the out-of-equilibrium atmosphere. They could send interstellar probes to investigate. We estimate how many probes could have come here from passing stars. And where would they be now? The Moon and the Earth Trojans have the greatest probability of success. Close inspection of bodies in these regions, which may hold primordial remnants of our early solar system, yields concrete astronomical research. This argues for a Search for Extraterrestrial Artifacts (SETA) strategy of exploring for alien artifacts near Earth.