Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By Elias Fragakis
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Alien Megastructures: Strange Star Likely Swarmed by Comets (+Video)

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


 

An oddly dimming star located 1,500 light-years from Earth is causing all sorts of commotion in the scientific community, leading some to speculate that it may be some sort of alien megastructure. A new analysis of infrared data suggests a more natural explanation.

To quickly recap, star KIC 8462852, also known as “Tabby’s Star,” is exhibiting unprecedented flickering behavior. Normally, astronomers observe dips in brightness when a planet temporarily passes in front of a star. This dimming tends to be slight (just a few percentage points, even for gas giants like Jupiter) and periodic (which is suggestive of a planet in a stable orbit). But Tabby’s Star is different. Very different. At times, its brightness drops by a whopping 22%! What’s more, its brightness changes irregularly, sometimes for days—sometimes for months. Scientists have never observed anything quite like this, leading to all sorts of wild speculation.

For instance, the aperiodic dimming could be the product of a catastrophic collision in the star’s asteroid belt, or the result of a giant impact that disrupted a nearby planet. Alternately, it might just be a dusty cloud of rock and debris. There’s even the possibility that it’s a distorted star. And as Penn State astronomer Jason Wright and colleagues speculated, it might be an alien megastructure, like a Dyson sphere, though as Oxford’s Anders Sandberg points out, that’s bloody unlikely.

In an attempt to learn more about Tabby’s Star, Iowa State University astronomer Massimo Marengo and his team analyzed data acquired by the Infrared Array Camera aboard NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. As they conclude in their ensuing paper, which now appears at The Astrophysical Journal, the destruction of a family of comets near the star is the most likely explanation for the mysterious dimming.

Gizmodo
Read more here:
http://gizmodo.com/that-supposed-alien-megastructure-may-actually-be-a-swa-1744792437

Strange Star Likely Swarmed by Comets  http://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/strange-star-likely-swarmed-by-comets

 

 

This illustration shows a star behind a shattered comet. Observations of the star KIC 8462852 by NASA’s Kepler and Spitzer space telescopes suggest that its unusual light signals are likely from dusty comet fragments, which blocked the light of the star as they passed in front of it in 2011 and 2013. The comets are thought to be traveling around the star in a very long, eccentric orbit.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech



Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.


LION'S MANE PRODUCT


Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules


Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.



Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.


Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.