Star Link
Pioneer 10 was launched in 1972. It was the first spacecraft to travel
through the asteroid belt, and to make closeup observations of Jupiter.
It is the most distant spacecraft ever launched by man. Pioneer 10, launched
in 1972, was very different from the previous Pioneer missions, and passed
by Jupiter, taking close-up pictures of the planet and discovering that
it is mostly liquid. The Pioneer 11 spacecraft was launched a year later
and used a gravity assist from Jupiter to visit Saturn. It returned detailed
pictures of Jupiter's Great Red Spot, the first close-up photographs of
Saturn and its rings, and information that Titan is too cold to support
life. Both spacecrafts have now left the solar system, each carrying a
gold plaque with a graphic message for
extraterrestrial life. This plaque had on it a message for what ever space
faring race that found it. Personally, I am not sure that the plaque is
decipherable, but the two human beings, one male and one female do look
good. Hopefully, the extra-solar being will atleast figure out that they
are us.
Okay, now I would like you to imagine a situation where you are a member
of a team that has just established faster than light communication with
an alien race. They have just asked you the question: "What do you look
like?". Here's the rub: you are only able to communicate in a strange sort
of code. This code consisists of the set of all objects that are
rectangles, triangles, and ovals. You are also limited to ten objects per
message. Now your rectangle could be a square or your oval could be in
the form of a circle. You can not reduce the objects until they appear
to be lines. (That would be CHEATING)
What are you waiting for draw your image of yourself!
Any suggestions, comments, or advice that you would like to pass on
to me, my e-mail address is: