re: Aiming at infrared glows
Another possibility is aiming away from galactic center, out in the galactic anticenter region near Auriga.
I can’t reach the DEC of Auriga. My system tops out at+28 degrees DEC so that idea is out (you can see the maneuver room on my front page then click on the Sky Map) but I will look for other IR glows.
I can’t realistically expect to find leakage with my system. I expect it to be too low power plus if there is any type of frequency modulation my alarm algorithm would miss it completely. Same goes for CW (on/off) modulation because of the long integration times I usually use so unless ET is living in a Dyson Shell and utilizing the entire output of one of its stars I won’t hear it.
Damn big place we live in.