<p>The Arecibo Message was not broadcast with the aim that it would intercept with a notable astronomical object. Neither do we realistically expect that anyone will ever listen to the Voyager Golden Records.</p>

<p>Such symbolic gestures are simply vectors for public relations and education. We send these "time capsules" into space <em>because we can</em>, as a showcase of our technological achievements, and as a token of hope.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"As the choice of frequency, duration of message, and distance of the
  target clearly shows, the Arecibo message is very unlikely to produce
  interstellar discourse in the foreseeable future. Rather, it was
  intended as a concrete demonstration that terrestrial radio astronomy
  has now reached a level of advance entirely adequate for interstellar
  radio communication over immense distances."</p>
  
  <p>-- NAIC staff (1975), <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1975Icar...26..462">http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1975Icar...26..462</a></p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<blockquote>
  <p>"The spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced spacefaring civilizations in interstellar space. But the launching of this bottle into the cosmic ocean says something very hopeful about life on this planet."</p>
  
  <p>-- Carl Sagan</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-10T19:20:44.233Z
Do you know what is the $\frac{W}{Hz}$ of Arecibo? I read 450kW of power, however, what is the $\Delta f$?
Alexander Cska
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-18T05:05:55.617Z
2013-10-18T08:39:11.827Z
2013-10-18T08:39:11.827Z
Moriarty
<p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_message">Arecibo Message</a> was aimed at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Globular_Cluster_in_Hercules">globular star cluster M13</a>, but as far as I read, M13 will move out of the original position and thus not be able to receive it. So, who or what will be able to receive the message?</p>

<star-systems><messier-catalog><star-cluster>
Who or what will the Arecibo message reach?
Sarah Szabo
# Who or what will the Arecibo message reach?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-10-17)

The [Arecibo Message](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_message) was aimed at the [globular star cluster M13](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Globular_Cluster_in_Hercules), but as far as I read, M13 will move out of the original position and thus not be able to receive it. So, who or what will be able to receive the message?

**Tags:** star-systems, messier-catalog, star-cluster

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-10-18. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

The Arecibo Message was not broadcast with the aim that it would intercept with a notable astronomical object. Neither do we realistically expect that anyone will ever listen to the Voyager Golden Records.

Such symbolic gestures are simply vectors for public relations and education. We send these "time capsules" into space *because we can*, as a showcase of our technological achievements, and as a token of hope.

> "As the choice of frequency, duration of message, and distance of the
> target clearly shows, the Arecibo message is very unlikely to produce
> interstellar discourse in the foreseeable future. Rather, it was
> intended as a concrete demonstration that terrestrial radio astronomy
> has now reached a level of advance entirely adequate for interstellar
> radio communication over immense distances."
>
> -- NAIC staff (1975), <http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1975Icar...26..462>

---

> "The spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced spacefaring civilizations in interstellar space. But the launching of this bottle into the cosmic ocean says something very hopeful about life on this planet."
>
> -- Carl Sagan

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Do you know what is the $\frac{W}{Hz}$ of Arecibo? I read 450kW of power, however, what is the $\Delta f$?  

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