this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2025
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Astronomy
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Even if another life existed out there at an ideal distance to be receiving our first radio signals now, and they could receive it, and they were at a similar enough technology level...
This would also mean they were ~100LY away, or a 200 year cycle to communicate, once they deciphered our signal.
They wouldn't receive the signal if they're at the same tech level. Radiation from our communication tapers off well below background levels at 100ly. Maybe if they got lucky and had very, very sensitive instruments aimed our way at the right moment, they might detect something that didn't fit background, but our power output pales in comparison to the cosmos.
Just look at all the tricks scientists have to pull to communicate with Voyager, and it's not even outside of the frigging solar system, yet!
Not to be “that guy” but they left the solar system in 2012 and 2018, as in crossed the heliopause and the “wall of fire”.
Your point stands, but I thought you might be interested to know that :)
Here’s an article about it https://www.iflscience.com/nasas-voyager-spacecraft-found-a-30000-50000-kelvin-wall-at-the-edge-of-our-solar-system-81411
Voyager isn't even to the Oort cloud. It's nowhere near past many, many gravitationally bound objects. It might be past the heliopause, but it's still very, very close to the Sun and no other stars.