Only light crosses
Nobody is coming, and nobody is going. Neither we nor they can build a ship for 11.01 light years. Contact means messages.
Archive · made public 2219-10-05 · 1420.405 MHz
-On 2219-09-18 every pulsar ledger in the solar system logged the same faint pattern. It comes from Ross 128 b, it was sent on purpose, and it is still arriving.
The ledger node on the far side of the Moon times twelve pulsars to keep the MC clock. At 03:12 it logged a narrow tone at 1420.405 MHz, the frequency of cold hydrogen, switching on and off. It was filed as local interference.
+The ledger node on the far side of the Moon times twelve pulsars to keep the MC clock. At 03:12 it logged a narrow tone at 1420.55 MHz, just above 1420.405 MHz, the frequency of cold hydrogen, switching on and off. It was filed as local interference.
Earth, Isidis on Mars and the Ceres node logged the identical pattern, each at a different moment. Ledgers compare notes at light speed, so the comparison alone took most of the day.
The arrival times fit a single wave from one direction outside the solar system: RA 11h 47m 44.4s, Dec +00° 48′ 16″. That is Ross 128, a quiet red dwarf in Virgo, much dimmer than the Sun and about twice as old, 11.01 light years away. In 2017 the Arecibo telescope recorded odd signals from this direction; they turned out to be Earth satellites. This time they are not.
+The arrival times fit a single wave from one direction outside the solar system: RA 11h 47m 44.4s, Dec +00° 48′ 16″. That is Ross 128, a quiet red dwarf in Virgo, much dimmer than the Sun and about twice as old, 10.98 light years away. In 2017 the Arecibo telescope recorded odd signals from this direction; they turned out to be Earth satellites. This time they are not.
The pulses are separated by 2, 3, 5, 7, 11 … 47 units: the prime numbers, in order. No pulsar, maser or reflection does that. Then 667 bits follow, and the whole sequence repeats.
-The tone slides up and down by about 260 kHz every 9.87 days, exactly the time Ross 128 b takes to circle its star. The transmitter rides on that planet, and whoever built it did not correct for the Doppler shift. The planet is tidally locked: one side always day, the other always night.
+The pulses are separated by 2, 3, 5, 7, 11 … 47 units: the prime numbers, in order. No pulsar, maser or reflection does that. Then 667 bits follow. The beacon comes back every 9 h 41 m, and each pass carries a different transmission in turn, so the 667 bits only return every fifth pass. The five transmissions.
667 is 23 × 29. Folded into rows of 23, the bits make a drawing. Fold it yourself.
The tone sits 0.01% above hydrogen's line because Ross 128 is coming toward us at 31 km/s, and it slides up and down by about 260 kHz every 9.87 days, exactly the time Ross 128 b takes to circle its star. The transmitter rides on that planet, and whoever built it did not correct for the Doppler shift. The planet is tidally locked: one side always day, the other always night.
+Distance
11.01 light years
+10.98 light years
Not us, and not them. Neither side can build a ship that crosses 11.01 light years, and nothing in the signal suggests they are trying. What crosses is light.
-So this is contact by correspondence. A question sent today reaches them on 2230. If they answer at once, the reply lands on 2240. Every exchange takes a generation, and the people who start a conversation may not be the ones who finish it.
+Not us, and not them. Neither side can build a ship that crosses 10.98 light years, and nothing in the signal suggests they are trying. What crosses is light.
+So this is contact by correspondence. A question sent today reaches them on 2230. If they answer at once, the reply lands on 2241. Every exchange takes a generation, and the people who start a conversation may not be the ones who finish it.
For now, theirs is the only voice we can hear.
档案 · 2219-10-05 公布 · 1420.405 MHz
-2219 年 9 月 18 日，太阳系里每一台脉冲星账本都记下了同一个微弱的图案。它来自罗斯128 b，是有意发出的，而且还在源源不断地到来。
月球背面的账本节点给十二颗脉冲星计时，维持脉币的时钟。03:12，它记下一个很窄的音调，频率 1420.405 MHz，正是冷氢的频率，一开一关。它被归档为本地干扰。
+月球背面的账本节点给十二颗脉冲星计时，维持脉币的时钟。03:12，它记下一个很窄的音调，频率 1420.55 MHz，比冷氢的 1420.405 MHz 略高一点，一开一关。它被归档为本地干扰。
地球、火星伊希地、谷神星的节点记下了一模一样的图案，只是时刻各不相同。账本之间以光速对账，光是比对就花了大半天。
各处的到达时刻正好符合一道从太阳系外同一个方向射来的波：赤经 11h 47m 44.4s，赤纬 +00° 48′ 16″。那是室女座的罗斯128，一颗安静的红矮星，比太阳暗得多、老得多（约 94 亿年），距离 11.01 光年。2017 年阿雷西博望远镜曾从这个方向录到奇怪的信号，后来查明是地球卫星。这一次不是。
+各处的到达时刻正好符合一道从太阳系外同一个方向射来的波：赤经 11h 47m 44.4s，赤纬 +00° 48′ 16″。那是室女座的罗斯128，一颗安静的红矮星，比太阳暗得多、老得多（约 94 亿年），距离 10.98 光年。2017 年阿雷西博望远镜曾从这个方向录到奇怪的信号，后来查明是地球卫星。这一次不是。
脉冲之间的间隔是 2、3、5、7、11……47 个单位，按顺序排列的质数。脉冲星、脉泽、反射都做不到这一点。之后跟着 667 位数据，然后整段重复。
-音调每 9.87 天上下滑动约 260 kHz，恰好是罗斯128 b 绕恒星一圈的时间。发射机就在这颗行星上，随它一起绕行，建造它的人没有把多普勒频移修正掉。行星被潮汐锁定，一面永昼，一面永夜。
+脉冲之间的间隔是 2、3、5、7、11……47 个单位，按顺序排列的质数。脉冲星、脉泽、反射都做不到这一点。之后跟着 667 位数据。信标每 9 小时 41 分回来一次，每次轮流带一段不同的发射，所以这 667 位要每五次才重复一次。五段发射。
667 = 23 × 29。按每行 23 位排开，就是一幅画。自己折一次。
音调比氢的谱线高 0.01%，因为罗斯128正以 31 km/s 朝我们靠近；它还每 9.87 天上下滑动约 260 kHz，恰好是罗斯128 b 绕恒星一圈的时间。发射机就在这颗行星上，随它一起绕行，建造它的人没有把多普勒频移修正掉。行星被潮汐锁定，一面永昼，一面永夜。
+距离
11.01 光年
+10.98 光年
我们不会去，他们也不会来。两边都造不出能跨越 11.01 光年的船，信号里也看不出他们在尝试。能跨过去的，只有光。
-所以这是一场书信往来。今天发出的问题，2230 到达他们那里；如果他们立刻回答，回音在 2240 落到我们这里。每一次来回都要一代人的时间，开始一场对话的人，未必是结束它的人。
+我们不会去，他们也不会来。两边都造不出能跨越 10.98 光年的船，信号里也看不出他们在尝试。能跨过去的，只有光。
+所以这是一场书信往来。今天发出的问题，2230 到达他们那里；如果他们立刻回答，回音在 2241 落到我们这里。每一次来回都要一代人的时间，开始一场对话的人，未必是结束它的人。
至少现在，我们只听得到他们这一个声音。
diff --git a/en/index.html b/en/index.html index 49fed1a..a04e634 100644 --- a/en/index.html +++ b/en/index.html @@ -52,15 +52,15 @@On 2219-09-18 the pulsar-timing nodes of the MC ledger, on the Moon, Earth, Mars and Ceres, all logged the same narrow tone at the frequency of hydrogen. The small delays between them pointed at one star: Ross 128, a red dwarf in Virgo 11.01 light years away, with one temperate rocky planet. The pulses counted out prime numbers; the bits after them folded into a picture.
+On 2219-09-18 the pulsar-timing nodes of the MC ledger, on the Moon, Earth, Mars and Ceres, all logged the same narrow tone at the frequency of hydrogen. The small delays between them pointed at one star: Ross 128, a red dwarf in Virgo 10.98 light years away, with one temperate rocky planet. The pulses counted out prime numbers; the bits after them folded into a picture.
It was made public on 2219-10-05. The full record, with the data to decode yourself, is in the archive.
Nobody is coming, and nobody is going. Neither we nor they can build a ship for 11.01 light years. Contact means messages.
Nobody is coming, and nobody is going. Neither we nor they can build a ship for 10.98 light years. Contact means messages.
A question and its answer are 22 years apart. Conversations outlive the people who start them, and need institutions that remember.
One voice found us. It is hard to believe it is the only one out there, or that everyone else is as slow as we are.
Story calendar: real time plus 70,491 days.
Eleven years before anyone hears it.
Eleven years before anyone hears it.
The MC ledger's pulsar clocks pick up the tone. The full record.
All raw recordings released on the same day.
Anything written now reaches them on this date.
If they reply the moment our letter lands.
If they reply the moment our letter lands.
To be continued.
2219 年 9 月 18 日，脉币账本分布在月球、地球、火星和谷神星上的脉冲星计时节点，都记下了同一个很窄的音调，频率正是氢的谱线。各处之间细微的时间差指向同一颗星：室女座里的红矮星罗斯128，距离 11.01 光年。它有一颗温和的岩质行星。脉冲按质数排列，之后的数据能折成一幅图。
+2219 年 9 月 18 日，脉币账本分布在月球、地球、火星和谷神星上的脉冲星计时节点，都记下了同一个很窄的音调，频率正是氢的谱线。各处之间细微的时间差指向同一颗星：室女座里的红矮星罗斯128，距离 10.98 光年。它有一颗温和的岩质行星。脉冲按质数排列，之后的数据能折成一幅图。
它在 2219 年 10 月 5 日公之于众。完整的记录，以及可以自己动手解码的数据，都在档案里。
没有人会来，也没有人会去。我们和他们都造不出飞越 11.01 光年的船。接触，就是通信。
没有人会来，也没有人会去。我们和他们都造不出飞越 10.98 光年的船。接触，就是通信。
一问一答相隔 22 年。对话比开启它的人活得更久，需要能够记住的机构。
找到我们的只有一个声音。很难相信它是外面唯一的声音，也很难相信大家都和我们一样慢。
故事纪年：现实时间加 70,491 天。
距离有人听到它，还有十一年。
距离有人听到它，还有十一年。
脉币账本的脉冲星时钟捕捉到这个音调。完整记录。
所有原始记录在同一天公开。
此刻写下的一切，会在这一天到达他们那里。
如果他们在信到的那一刻就回答。
如果他们在信到的那一刻就回答。
未完待续。
The picture has four parts. The kit draws each as an icon with data-glyph, so every site draws with pieces of their picture.
One to nine in binary. Use for numbers, data, a catalogue.
One to seven in three-bit binary. Use for numbers, data, a catalogue.
Their star and its one planet, circled. Use for places, planets, the explorer.
A dish and its beam. Use for listening, sending, letters.
The hydrogen line, the unit both sides share. Use for clocks, frequencies, the ledger.
Conversation
-Their messages arrive on the left in white-cyan, ours leave on the right in yellow, and the dashed spine between is the distance. Use it wherever the era shows messages, letters or replies.
A prime-numbered preamble, then 667 bits that fold into a picture: counting, their star with its one planet circled, a dish, hydrogen.
We heard you. Here is how we count, where we are, and the same line of hydrogen you used.
Waiting. Nothing we send can be answered sooner than twice the distance.
A prime-numbered preamble, then 667 bits that fold into a picture: counting, their star with its one planet circled, a dish, hydrogen.
We heard you. Here is how we count, where we are, and the same line of hydrogen you used.
Waiting. Nothing we send can be answered sooner than twice the distance.
.transit · a message on its way
Kickers take a voice too: .kicker listens (white-cyan), .kicker-out sends (yellow). Logs mark what reached us with .is-key and what we sent with .is-out.
Pixelify Sans announces (page titles and display numbers only, never below 2.4 rem), Instrument Sans tells (section titles, headings, text), JetBrains Mono measures. All SIL OFL, self-hosted with the kit (Latin). Chinese uses the system's CJK fonts at their heaviest weight so it holds its own beside the pixels.
--step-5通联 Contact
--step-4 · hero11.01 light years
--step-4 · hero10.98 light years
--step-3 · pageThe clocks that heard it
--step-2 · sectionFold the beacon
--step-1 · ledeA question sent today reaches them in 2230.
.log
Questions: OPEN in any position asks "what goes here?", and whatever is drawn under it replaces it. In the last example a third voice, *, draws AIR under our WATER. It answers the nearest part above, which is ours: it sides with them, against us, about our own world.
+Questions: OPEN in any position asks "what goes here?", and whatever is drawn under it replaces it. In the last example a third voice, *, says AIR under our WATER. It answers the nearest part above, which is ours: it sides with them, against us, about our own world.
Humans don't learn the signs; the machine reads and writes them, and its lexicon grows with every page. You can run the same machine: the converter turns text into drawings and drawings back into text, in your browser. It follows the same rules and the same vocabulary as glyph, the command-line dictionary (pip install glyph-cli).
提问：任何位置上的 OPEN 都在问“这里填什么？”，下面画的东西就取代它。最后一个例子里，第三个声音 * 在我们的 WATER 下面画了 AIR。它回应的是上方最近的部件，也就是我们的：它站在他们一边，反对我们对自己世界的说法。
+提问：任何位置上的 OPEN 都在问“这里填什么？”，下面画的东西就取代它。最后一个例子里，第三个声音 * 在我们的 WATER 下面说了 AIR。它回应的是上方最近的部件，也就是我们的：它站在他们一边，反对我们对自己世界的说法。
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@人类不用学这些符号；翻译机负责读和写，它的词库随着每一页增长。你也可以运行同一台机器：转换器在浏览器里把文字变成图，再把图变回文字。它和命令行词典 glyph（pip install glyph-cli）用的是同一套规则和同一份词表。
Transmission 2 · the shadow
The tone dims and recovers, again and again. Each dip is Earth crossing the Sun, exactly as it looked from Ross 128: 84 parts per million deep, rounded by the Sun's darker edge. They send one dip per century of the years they watched, from 1100 BCE to 1100 CE. The dips start short and grazing, grow to 13 hours, then shrink again, because Ross 128 was drifting across the band from which Earth's transits can be seen. After that comes silence: two centuries with no dip. Then three short, deep dips: their own planet crossing their star, every 9.87 days.
+The tone dims and recovers, again and again. Each dip is Earth crossing the Sun, exactly as it looked from Ross 128: 84 parts per million deep, rounded by the Sun's darker edge. They send one dip per century of the years they watched, from about 1100 BCE to 1100 CE. The dips start short and grazing, grow to 13 hours, then shrink again, because Ross 128 was drifting across the band from which Earth's transits can be seen. After that comes silence: two centuries with no dip. Then three short, deep dips: their own planet crossing their star, every 9.87 days.
Every dip comes from the real motion of the two stars (Drift). The pattern says "we watched you for 2,200 years, and then we lost you".
Resonance theory. Earth crossing the Sun once a year is a natural rhythm, our planet's own tone. They name us by our rhythm, and themselves by theirs.