Beatles Song to Be Beamed Into Space

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/02/beatles-song-to.html

Beatles Song to Be Beamed Into Space
By John Borland February 01, 2008
Categories: Space

If this doesn't make those bug-eyed (or mop-topped) aliens come out of their hiding holes snapping their fingers , maybe nothing will.

On Monday, NASA will beam The Beatles' "Across the Universe" into the heavens, using its Deep Space Network of antennas, which is ordinarily dedicated to functions such as radioastronomy observations, or communicating with distant interplanetary probes.

It's the first time NASA has used the network to beam an actual song into space, and naturally the remaining Beatles are pleased to be so honored. According to the NASA press release, Paul McCartney sent the following encouragement:

"Amazing! Well done, NASA!" McCartney said in a message to the space agency. "Send my love to the aliens. All the best, Paul."

The occasion is a string of anniversaries: NASA's 50th year in space, the founding 45 years ago of NASA's Deep Space Network of antennae, and not least, the 40th anniversary of the recording of "Across the Universe." Feb. 4 has apparently been declared "Across the Universe Day," and the general public is invited to play the song at the same time (7 pm EST) that it is being beamed into space.

The antenna will be aimed at the North Star, Polaris, some 431 light years away from Earth. By the time the signal gets there, the song will probably be out of copyright protection (unless Disney's lawyers are even better than we think), and the fact that aliens can record and play it back without paying royalties won't ruffle any feathers.