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Natural Explanations Are Being Eliminated for Tabby Star
February 27, 2023 by Brian Wang
Tabby's Star is a mysterious Sun-like star some 1500 light-years distant in Cygnus the Swan constellation.
Tabby's Star, officially known as KIC 8462852, first came to the attention of astronomers in 2015 when citizen scientists using data from the Kepler space telescope noticed unusual dips in its brightness. These dips were initially attributed to a possible orbiting exoplanet but subsequent observations have ruled out this explanation.
Since then, a number of natural explanations for Tabby's Star's strange behavior have been proposed including dust clouds, stellar flares, and even a swarm of comets. However, a new study by a team of astronomers led by Tabetha Boyajian of Louisiana State University has now ruled out all of these natural explanations.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature Astronomy, used data from the Spitzer Space Telescope to observe Tabby's Star in infrared light. This allowed the astronomers to rule out the possibility that the dips in brightness are caused by dust clouds or stellar flares.
The astronomers also used data from the Hubble Space Telescope to observe Tabby's Star in ultraviolet light. This allowed them to rule out the possibility that the dips in brightness are caused by a swarm of comets.
The new study leaves astronomers with no natural explanations for Tabby's Star's strange behavior. This has led to speculation that the star may be home to an advanced alien civilization that is using megastructures to harness the star's energy.
While this is an intriguing possibility, it is important to note that there is no scientific evidence to support it. The true cause of Tabby's Star's strange behavior remains a mystery.
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