Tabby's Star Just Got Even Stranger , again

More data from KIC 8462852 has been revealed by Astronomers Josh Simon and Ben Montet who have discovered that Tabby's Star showed an increased level of dimming in the last 6 months of the Kepler data they examined along with a steady 1% over preceding years of Kepler observation.
Their paper has been accepted for publication by The Astrophysical Journal.

The researchers analyzed further Kepler observations of the puzzling star and showed that in addition to its rapid unexplained brightness changes, the star also faded slowly and steadily during the four years it was watched by Kepler. Speculation to explain KIC 8462852’s dips in brightness has ranged from an unusually large group of comets orbiting the star to an alien megastructure. In general, stars can appear to dim because a solid object like a planet or a cloud of dust and gas passes between it and the observer, eclipsing and effectively dimming its brightness for a time. But the erratic pattern of abrupt fading and re-brightening in KIC 8462852 is unlike that seen for any other star.

“The steady brightness change in KIC 8462852 is pretty astounding,” said Montet. “Our highly accurate measurements over four years demonstrate that the star really is getting fainter with time. It is unprecedented for this type of star to slowly fade for years, and we don’t see anything else like it in the Kepler data.”
“This star was already completely unique because of its sporadic dimming episodes. But now we see that it has other features that are just as strange, both slowly dimming for almost three years and then suddenly getting fainter much more rapidly,” Simon added.

“It’s a big challenge to come up with a good explanation for a star doing three different things that have never been seen before,” Montet said. “But these observations will provide an important clue to solving the mystery of KIC 8462852.”
carnegiescience.edu...

a reply to: gortex

It's almost as if something is practically sucking the star out of existence at an ever increasing rate. Not so much a Dyson sphere then, more like a giant Star Eating Space Goat!!!



Edit:



Yes, I know, it looks harmless enough...

But the space one? Think again!

a reply to: gortex

Sounds like the star is unhealthy and is suffering some type of aliment.

Maybe it's nuclear reaction is acting erratically.

The prevailing scientific knowledge on this, is that the star is shy, and Keplar spying on it is making it bashful.

originally posted by: AshFan
The prevailing scientific knowledge on this, is that the star is shy, and Keplar spying on it is making it bashful.

Well, it is a main sequence star, and therefore considered a dwarf star so...

Maybe a planet or planets are breaking up in the system..

a reply to: gortex


Since gortex has chosen to bring this topic of Tabby's Star to our attention again and inform us again of the consternations of the scientists as they break their pencils and crumble their pages of calculations in disgust at the failure of their pet theories, (I know, I know) I have chose to again thrust forth my solidly based scientific theory that an approaching space ship of some sort or another, perhaps a whole planet from that place, is hurling toward us at a fast clip. As it recedes from that place and approaches our place, it blocks more and more of the light coming to us from that star and we blame the star, not the interference. Thus, I have solved the need for the Dyson Sphere which is incredible more expensive and time-consuming to build than a decent interstellar spaceship don't you think?

originally posted by: Jonjonj

originally posted by: AshFan
The prevailing scientific knowledge on this, is that the star is shy, and Keplar spying on it is making it bashful.

Well, it is a main sequence star, and therefore considered a dwarf star so...

Very much hilarious, much laughter!!

a reply to: Jonjonj

It is a yellow-white dwarf star as well...



Crazy that it dimmed 2% in six months phys.org while they were watching it then leveled off for the remaining six months. Make you wonder what is going on there!

originally posted by: TEOTWAWKIAIFF
a reply to: Jonjonj

It is a yellow-white dwarf star as well...

 

Crazy that it dimmed 2% in six months phys.org while they were watching it then leveled off for the remaining six months. Make you wonder what is going on there!

Proof that it's not us!

a reply to: Aliensun

I don't think a space ship would keep itself in between KIC 8462852 and Earth , both bodies are moving through space so it would have to be a purposeful act to keep position.
If it were a Dyson swarm the increase of units to the swarm over the years could fit the bill for the regular dimming but the increased dimming over the final 6 months is a head scratcher.

originally posted by: Mianeye
Maybe a planet or planets are breaking up in the system..

Irreconcilable gravitational differences. Who gets the kids moons?

a reply to: Jonjonj
So Shub Niggurath?

originally posted by: AshFan
The prevailing scientific knowledge on this, is that the star is shy, and Keplar spying on it is making it bashful.

Tabby's Star is 1,480 light years from Earth, therefore the light we are seeing today left the star in approximately 536 AD, a time well before Kepler. Tabby's Star could not possibly know that Kepler is spying on it these last few years. Therefore that hypothesis is proven invalid. Try again? (Y/N) __

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Aliensun

If it were a Dyson swarm the increase of units to the swarm over the years could fit the bill for the regular dimming but the increased dimming over the final 6 months is a head scratcher.

They've just finished the infrastructure framework and are in the process of plugging up the last few holes.

originally posted by: jokei
a reply to: Jonjonj
So Shub Niggurath?

I was rather referring to the Golgafrinchans.

Golgafrincham was a planet, once home to the Great Circling Poets of Arium. The descendants of these poets made up tales of impending doom about the planet. The tales varied; some said it was going to crash into the sun, or the moon was going to crash into the planet. Others said the planet was to be invaded by twelve-foot piranha bees and still others said it was in danger of being eaten by an enormous mutant star-goat.

Hitchhiker's wiki

I think it's dust and gas.

me thinks it's a cluster of asteroids gathering and coming towards us , they are piling up and and causing this phenomenon

originally posted by: schuyler

originally posted by: AshFan
The prevailing scientific knowledge on this, is that the star is shy, and Keplar spying on it is making it bashful.

Tabby's Star is 1,480 light years from Earth, therefore the light we are seeing today left the star in approximately 536 AD, a time well before Kepler. Tabby's Star could not possibly know that Kepler is spying on it these last few years. Therefore that hypothesis is proven invalid. Try again? (Y/N) __

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Aliensun

If it were a Dyson swarm the increase of units to the swarm over the years could fit the bill for the regular dimming but the increased dimming over the final 6 months is a head scratcher.

They've just finished the infrastructure framework and are in the process of plugging up the last few holes.

originally posted by: Obsrvr
I think it's dust and gas.

Space debris/dust/gas was also the last report I heard on Magical Mystery Podcast
Not sure where they heard it, though. They have some interesting shows covering many topics that ATS members tend to drool over.

It is pretty OBVIOUS a black hole is sitting there eating this star away. Hello...anyone home?