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Kickstarted: Research for the most myterious star in the universe

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T

TaterTots

Banned
"Something massive, with roughly 1,000 times the area of Earth, is blocking the light coming from a distant star known as KIC 8462852, and nobody is quite sure what it is. As astronomer Tabetha Boyajian investigated this perplexing celestial object, a colleague suggested something unusual: Could it be an alien-built megastructure? Such an extraordinary idea would require extraordinary evidence. In this talk, Boyajian gives us a look at how scientists search for and test hypotheses when faced with the unknown."

I couldn't find anything on this topic, so shut me down if I missed it. However, I find it interesting that no one knows what is causing this star to be blocked for upwards of a week at a time. Tabetha states that she had to put a reason for it in her research so she just put, "asteroids" even though she doesn't believe it lol. Recently, a kickstarter campaign met its goal of $100,000 to reserve time on telescopes to continue research for this planet.

What do you say Gaf? Is it a alien-built megastructure or a natural cause we have yet to discover? Either way I find it exciting. You should watch the video. It's pretty interesting and says way more than I can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gypAjPp6eps
 
A

Anoregon

The flight plan I just filed with the agency list me, my men, Dr. Pavel here. But only one of you!
It's probably not aliens

in before giorgio
 
B

bootsthecat

Banned
I don't think they want their telescopes used by the high priestess of the desert anymore.

Seems pretty cool, would donate
 
T

TaterTots

Banned
Xanxus said:
I highly doubt it's the most mysterious star in the universe
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After all of our time studying the universe nothing has ever happened like this before. It's just this one star 1500 light years away constantly being obstructed. Most theories have been shot down due to low chance. I think this is fascinating. The probability of a advanced civilization is really low, but it's something we've never seen before. So, even if natural, I want to know why there and not anywhere else?
 
T

TaterTots

Banned
Awww I can tell this thread is going to get buried :/ lol. I was trying to bring something to OT that isn't negative and tickled our imaginations :(
 
-Plasma Reus-

-Plasma Reus-

Service guarantees member status
How many light years away is this again? There is a real chance said structure is no longer there.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Xanxus said:
I highly doubt it's the most mysterious star in the universe
Click to expand...

That we know of, its pretty damn mysterious. We have no real clue what's happening with it and have seen this nowhere else in the universe.
 
T

TaterTots

Banned
-Plasma Reus- said:
How many light years away is this again? There is a real chance said structure is no longer there.
Click to expand...

1500 light years away. It's the first time we've witnessed anything like it. The odds of tens of thousands of asteroids passing over this star this many times is unlikely when it doesn't happen elsewhere....that we've seen. As a poster said, even if it is natural we obviously don't know crap about it. Worth investigating.
 
L

Lovely Salsa

Banned
How will we even find out whats causing the dimming? Its 1500ly away and an object or objects 22 (?) times the jupiter size is causing the dimming
 
U

uncelestial

Member
I still haven't heard an answer to this question: If they can't see what is causing the light blockage, how do they know how far away it is from the star? And if they don't know how far away it is from the star, how do they know its size?

crushing_your_head.jpg


^ The foreground person's hands are not bigger than the background person's head. It really could be anything given the vast distances involved, and with no visuals I remain incredibly skeptical of anything but a super boring explanation.
 
B

backflip10019

Member
Didn't we have a few threads on this earlier in the year where some scientists came to the conclusion that it was not a Dyson Sphere -- it was nothing?
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
uncelestial said:
I still haven't heard an answer to this question: If they can't see what is causing the light blockage, how do they know how far away it is from the star? And if they don't know how far away it is from the star, how do they know its size?

crushing_your_head.jpg


^ The foreground person's hands are not bigger than the background person's head. It really could be anything given the vast distances involved, and with no visuals I remain incredibly skeptical of anything but a super boring explanation.
Click to expand...

Because its repeating in a manner that would not happen if it was just random stuff 500 Light years away passing between us and the star.

backflip10019 said:
Didn't we have a few threads on this earlier in the year where some scientists came to the conclusion that it was not a Dyson Sphere -- it was nothing?
Click to expand...

Its unexplained at this point despite our best guesses so its something definitely something.
 
T

TaterTots

Banned
backflip10019 said:
Didn't we have a few threads on this earlier in the year where some scientists came to the conclusion that it was not a Dyson Sphere -- it was nothing?
Click to expand...

How could I not find these threads? I suck. Anyway, a Dyson Sphere is definitely a theory floating around, but most scientists don't want to say that out loud because it implies something huge. The reason they started a kickstarter was to reserve time on more powerful telescopes to start eliminating options.
 
T

TaterTots

Banned
uncelestial said:
I still haven't heard an answer to this question: If they can't see what is causing the light blockage, how do they know how far away it is from the star? And if they don't know how far away it is from the star, how do they know its size?

crushing_your_head.jpg


^ The foreground person's hands are not bigger than the background person's head. It really could be anything given the vast distances involved, and with no visuals I remain incredibly skeptical of anything but a super boring explanation.
Click to expand...

Did you watch the link I provided? She covers several theories. I'm no scientist, but to answer your question from what I've read.....it's too random. A week here...a hour there. We've never seen anything like it. It's worth looking into to make sure we aren't missing some amazing natural event that is so rare.
 
Z

zethren

Banned
I sure hope it's an alien structure lol. Solid proof of one would be insane! Though the structure would have had been there for millions of years by now, if so.
 
T

TaterTots

Banned
Zapages said:
Very cool... I like she covered majority of the popular theories that are out there right now.
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I thought that was awesome too. I also loved that she didn't really dismiss any theory due to the fact we've never seen anything like this. She basically said that anything is possible with this. It's worth looking into for sure.
 
T

TaterTots

Banned
zethren said:
I sure hope it's an alien structure lol. Solid proof of one would be insane! Though the structure would have had been there for millions of years by now, if so.
Click to expand...

I'm scared if it is a advanced civilization. That means they are so advanced they have technology to maximize energy and are low on a resource....would we really want to be like, "hey, we're over here!" If they're desperate? Just fun stuff to talk about.
 
U

uncelestial

Member
HStallion said:
Because its repeating in a manner that would not happen if it was just random stuff 500 Light years away passing between us and the star.
Click to expand...
It's not "repeating" with any regularity though. There are different light blockages in terms of intensity and timing. The only thing consistent is that it's happening to the same star, meaning that something is randomly getting in the way of the light from that star that is at a fairly close proximity, but we really have no idea of its size.
 
G

Gaz_RB

Member
andythinkpad said:
Legitimate science research shouldn't go through the kickstarter channel.
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I don't see the problem if the actual science is still being conducted appropriately.
I'd kind of love it if there was some sort of scientist-led and moderated Kickstarter for research.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
uncelestial said:
It's not "repeating" with any regularity though. There are different light blockages in terms of intensity and timing. The only thing consistent is that it's happening to the same star, meaning that something is randomly getting in the way of the light from that star that is at a fairly close proximity, but we really have no idea of its size.
Click to expand...

Except it is repeating, its happening over and over just not at a set rate like a planet would around its respective star. The erratic behavior is part of the reason for the interest.
 
L

LookAtMeGo

Member
We are just peeking into a giant wormhole that keeps opening and closing at different times at different sizes. You heard it here first.
 
T

TaterTots

Banned
HStallion said:
Except it is repeating, its happening over and over just not at a set rate like a planet would around its respective star. The erratic behavior is part of the reason for the interest.
Click to expand...

This. That's exactly why this is so fascinating. It's unlike anything we've seen in the cosmos.
 
Z

zethren

Banned
TatorTots said:
I'm scared if it is a advanced civilization. That means they are so advanced they have technology to maximize energy and are low on a resource....would we really want to be like, "hey, we're over here!" If they're desperate? Just fun stuff to talk about.
Click to expand...

But think about it! If they were that advanced millions of years ago, it's possible they wouldn't even be alive any longer. Anything could have happened to them between then and now. It really is fun to talk about haha. I'm looking forward to more coming out about this in the coming years, regardless of what it is or isn't
 
V

Version 3.0

Member
zethren said:
But think about it! If they were that advanced millions of years ago, it's possible they wouldn't even be alive any longer. Anything could have happened to them between then and now. It really is fun to talk about haha. I'm looking forward to more coming out about this in the coming years, regardless of what it is or isn't
Click to expand...

The star's only 1480 light years away, so it's not millions of years, just 1480. Still a long time...look where we were that long ago. But it seems likelier that if it's aliens, they're still there. I mean, unless they were already dead 1480 years ago and it's just their trash in orbit we're seeing. :)
 
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