Researchers discovered alien megastructure?

[EBE Hybrid]

I guess one of the most 'encouraging' elements of the Tabby's Star observations is that dimming has not been a one off. with enough data hopefully the dimming will prove to occur in cycles, with more astronomers aiming there telescopes at Tabby's Star more detailed data should become available.

What would be even more amazing, if more stars displaying this type os behaviour were to be observed

[bison]

If the especially large dips around Kepler mission days 750 and 1500 had the same source, another dip now could be yet another transit of that same source. On the basis of the first two dips, Dr. Boyajian predicted another in May 2017.  As it turns out, she was apparently right. 

The most interesting thing about the current dip, so far, is the preliminary observation that it seems uniform in its strength, across the spectrum. The only substantial exceptions to this appear to be caused by the effects of Earth's own atmosphere. 

[Merc14]

46 minutes ago, bison said:

If the especially large dips around Kepler mission days 750 and 1500 had the same source, another dip now could be yet another transit of that same source. On the basis of the first two dips, Dr. Boyajian predicted another in May 2017.  As it turns out, she was apparently right. 

The most interesting thing about the current dip, so far, is the preliminary observation that it seems uniform in its strength, across the spectrum. The only substantial exceptions to this appear to be caused by the effects of Earth's own atmosphere. 

What would that indicate to you?

Edited May 21, 2017 by Merc14

[Frank Merton]

On 5/8/2017 at 8:14 PM, Konichiro Watanabe said:

Except during construction, which would be quite a long process. Probably on the order or centuries, if not millenia.

Actually a Dyson sphere as usually imagined would be impossible to build.  Far more likely would be millions or more small satellites of the star in question that might or might not completely block the light from it.

[Frank Merton]

1 hour ago, bison said:

If the especially large dips around Kepler mission days 750 and 1500 had the same source, another dip now could be yet another transit of that same source. On the basis of the first two dips, Dr. Boyajian predicted another in May 2017.  As it turns out, she was apparently right. 

The most interesting thing about the current dip, so far, is the preliminary observation that it seems uniform in its strength, across the spectrum. The only substantial exceptions to this appear to be caused by the effects of Earth's own atmosphere. 

I didn't know she had actually taken a position.

[Merc14]

14 minutes ago, Frank Merton said:

I didn't know she had actually taken a position.

What position do you think she took merton?  What position do you think Bison is suggesting she took as I see nothing here suggesting a position being taken?

Edited May 21, 2017 by Merc14

[Frank Merton]

2 minutes ago, Merc14 said:

What position do you think she took merton?  What position do you think Bison is suggesting she took as I see nothing here suggesting a position being taken?

The implication I got was that she was saying it was a Dyson sphere, and when I watched her on UTube she was very careful to not rule that out but to say it was unlikely.

[Merc14]

6 minutes ago, Frank Merton said:

The implication I got was that she was saying it was a Dyson sphere, and when I watched her on UTube she was very careful to not rule that out but to say it was unlikely.

Really?   How bizarre, because Bison never mentions Dyson sphere and Dr. Boyajian together, he posted that she predicted a dimming in May 2017.  How in the hell have you construed that Bison is saying she favors a Dyson sphere from that post?   

Edited May 21, 2017 by Merc14

[+Noteverythingisaconspiracy]

7 hours ago, Frank Merton said:

Actually a Dyson sphere as usually imagined would be impossible to build.  Far more likely would be millions or more small satellites of the star in question that might or might not completely block the light from it.

That was actually Dysons original idea. He didn't think a solid structure was possible.

"A solid shell or ring surrounding a star is mechanically impossible. The form of 'biosphere' which I envisaged consists of a loose collection or swarm of objects traveling on independent orbits around the star." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere

[bison]

14 hours ago, Merc14 said:

What would that indicate to you?

An 'achromatic' spectrum, one not biased in favor of any part of the spectrum, reputedly argues against dust-based scenarios. These are:

1.) A huge swarm of comets in orbit of the star.

 2.) Concentrated lumps of material in the interstellar medium that intermittantly move through a line between us and the star.

3.) Debris from a destroyed planet in that star system.

All of these would weaken the shorter wavelengths of light -- ultraviolet, violet and blue, and leave red light relatively unaffected. Infrared light would probably be enhanced, due to dust absorbing the star's energy and reradiating in that part of the spectrum. 

With all the colors equally obscured, large opaque objects are said to be indicated, supposing that the initial observations hold up to more detailed analysis.  

Edited May 21, 2017 by bison

[bison]

13 hours ago, Merc14 said:

Really?   How bizarre, because Bison never mentions Dyson sphere and Dr. Boyajian together, he posted that she predicted a dimming in May 2017.  How in the hell have you construed that Bison is saying she favors a Dyson sphere from that post?   

Dr. Boyajian is a very careful scientist. She has not favored the megastructure scenario, preferring natural astrophysical explanations. She did predict a dimming of the star this month, based on the period between the two largest past dips. Scientific predictions are an important part of testing an hypothesis, in this case, one that ascribed a regular periodicity to the large dips in light output from the star. 

Edited May 21, 2017 by bison

[micky 32]

It will probably end up as something very simple causing it in the end " Ah that's what it was, should have thought of that" type scenario.  I have to wonder, if in the very unlikely event it does turn out to be alien the scientists may not reveal or be allowed to reveal that it's alien or if they do the story might change from it being alien to it's not alien.

Edited May 22, 2017 by micky 32

[Merc14]

20 hours ago, bison said:

An 'achromatic' spectrum, one not biased in favor of any part of the spectrum, reputedly argues against dust-based scenarios. These are:

1.) A huge swarm of comets in orbit of the star.

 2.) Concentrated lumps of material in the interstellar medium that intermittantly move through a line between us and the star.

3.) Debris from a destroyed planet in that star system.

All of these would weaken the shorter wavelengths of light -- ultraviolet, violet and blue, and leave red light relatively unaffected. Infrared light would probably be enhanced, due to dust absorbing the star's energy and reradiating in that part of the spectrum. 

With all the colors equally obscured, large opaque objects are said to be indicated, supposing that the initial observations hold up to more detailed analysis.  

Thanks Bison, that is what I thought as well.  Just gets more interesting doesn't it?   Hopefully we get a lot of observatories studying it now that the regular cycle is verified.

19 minutes ago, micky 32 said:

It will probably end up as something very simple causing it in the end " Ah that's what it was, should have thought of that" type scenario.  I have to wonder, if in the very unlikely event it does turn out to be alien the scientists may not reveal or be allowed to reveal that it's alien or if they do the story might change from it being alien to it's not alien.

I don't think, at this point, that would be possible, too many people looking and studying that star now to cover anything up.

[bison]

Study of this star is going on across the world. It seems unlikely that all the various political administrations would all react alike, and try to conceal the discovery of a distant extraterrestrial civilization. Even one polity not supporting such an embargo would be sufficient to let the 'secret' out.

Even if there were a conspiracy of silence or denial, scientists being independent-minded professionals and often uncommonly idealistic, would find ways of telling what they knew. I think the world's governments, supposing they wanted to do such a thing, would find controlling scientists in this way about as practical as herding cats!   

[keithisco]

On ‎20‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 3:37 PM, bison said:

The largest planets could dim the star by only about 1 percent. The current dimming is already three times that, at last report, and may increase. Previous dimming incidents at this star were as great as 15 and 22 percent.

That is dependent on the occulting object's relative position between the observer and the observed.

[bison]

That's very true. I had reference to planet in orbit of the star. It would be so much closer to that star than to us that the largest sort of planet would dim it by one percent or less, probably substantially less. It would be very improbable that a much nearer, free-floating (rogue) planet, or a planet in another star system would happen to repeatedly cross the line-of-sight between  Boyajian's Star and Earth.   

[Merc14]

Another article on the recent dimming which has apparently ended for now https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/249655-scientists-close-understanding-alien-megastructure-star

[Frank Merton]

Well now according to my sources several theories have been eliminated.  This includes a swarm of comets, anything not in orbit around the star (such as gas floating in the neighborhood) and in fact anything made of gas.

This was a brief dimming, which may have to do with there being several objects of different sizes or with the eccentricity of the orbit of one object.

The level of excitement about the possibility of aliens seems, by my impression, to be a good deal less, even though several of the other theories have been eliminated.  I dunno -- I tend to put this down to the simple fact of the passage of time allowing us to get use to the idea, but the theory of the star having "eaten" a planet in the recent (astronomically) time seems to now be the favorite,

[Frank Merton]

On 5/22/2017 at 10:39 PM, bison said:

Study of this star is going on across the world. It seems unlikely that all the various political administrations would all react alike, and try to conceal the discovery of a distant extraterrestrial civilization. Even one polity not supporting such an embargo would be sufficient to let the 'secret' out.

Even if there were a conspiracy of silence or denial, scientists being independent-minded professionals and often uncommonly idealistic, would find ways of telling what they knew. I think the world's governments, supposing they wanted to do such a thing, would find controlling scientists in this way about as practical as herding cats!   

There would be no reason and no attempt to conceal anything of the sort.  It would be announced with great fanfare if something were to be found that removed doubt.  Still, here astronomers need to be very cautious as this would be an extraordinary claim requiring a good deal better evidence than most astronomical concepts.

[Frank Merton]

On 5/23/2017 at 4:28 AM, bison said:

That's very true. I had reference to planet in orbit of the star. It would be so much closer to that star than to us that the largest sort of planet would dim it by one percent or less, probably substantially less. It would be very improbable that a much nearer, free-floating (rogue) planet, or a planet in another star system would happen to repeatedly cross the line-of-sight between  Boyajian's Star and Earth.   

It's definitely not a planet of some sort; this has never been suggested.  An object that big would be another star.

[micky 32]

Looks like it's becoming an anti-climax now and solved?. Unless i have read it wrong or someone can correct me, from the data they have received they think it's 2 separate things. " The light curve of the star has been respectively attributed to the presence of a debris disk and Trojen asteroids in the system and a ring system in the outer solar system"

[DONTEATUS]

Again all this talk about gravity, it`s clear today most things suck, and we need to get some new Rules to our Universe !

At least when it comes to Research into Human Kind !

[Merc14]

6 minutes ago, micky 32 said:

Looks like it's becoming an anti-climax now and solved?. Unless i have read it wrong or someone can correct me, from the data they have received they think it's 2 separate things. " The light curve of the star has been respectively attributed to the presence of a debris disk and Trojen asteroids in the system and a ring system in the outer solar system"

I haven't read any conclusions re. the recent dimming episode, do you have a link?

[micky 32]

This guy explains a little on the " 2 new papers"

 

 

[Mr.United_Nations]

3 hours ago, micky 32 said:

Looks like it's becoming an anti-climax now and solved?. Unless i have read it wrong or someone can correct me, from the data they have received they think it's 2 separate things. " The light curve of the star has been respectively attributed to the presence of a debris disk and Trojen asteroids in the system and a ring system in the outer solar system"

Its been suggested before but still a mystery