KIC 8462852 Update for 07/15/2017

TL;DR

Boyajian's Star is exhibiting strange dimming and long-term trends, potentially caused by dust or disintegrating megastructures. Alien activity remains a possibility but is becoming less likely.

Transcript

This is an update in my continuing coverage of KIC 8462852 or Boyajian’s Star for July 15, 2017. For the backstory, see my other videos on this channel or the playlist dedicated to the subject, and this particular video is also the first of a two part series on stars that dim and disappear and the possibility, though remote due to the odds, that we... Read More

Key Insights

• 🙂 Dust is a more plausible explanation for Boyajian's Star's behavior than solid alien megastructures due to the differences in light dimming across different wavelengths.
• 😶‍🌫️ The long-term dimming trend remains intriguing and could be the result of an expanding dust cloud or the disintegration of a megastructure.
• 👽 Rapid construction of a Dyson sphere by an alien civilization is unlikely to be efficient or practical, but it could serve as a warning or communication to other civilizations.
• 👽 The timeframe and speed of any potential construction by an alien civilization remains a topic of speculation, with uncertainty surrounding the observed dimming trends.
• 👽 The possibility of alien activity cannot be completely ruled out, but it becomes increasingly improbable given the evidence of dust and alternative explanations.
• 🤩 The presence of transuranic elements in stars like Boyajian's Star and Pryzybylski's Star suggests advanced nuclear physics capabilities, potentially serving as a warning or a declaration of technological prowess.
• 🍉 The accelerating long-term trend observed in Boyajian's Star poses a challenge for explanation, potentially indicating an exponential increase in dust or unexplored phenomena.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the two main reasons why the odds of alien activity in Boyajian's Star are dropping?

Firstly, the star's light is dipping more deeply in different wavelengths, consistent with dust rather than solid megastructures. Secondly, the long-term dimming trend is not indicative of rapid alien construction but could be explained by an expanding dust cloud or a disintegrating megastructure.

Q: How could the rapid construction of a Dyson sphere be interpreted by other civilizations?

The rapid construction of a Dyson sphere could serve as a warning or a message to other civilizations, showcasing a civilization's ability to fortify a solar system and deter potential threats.

Q: What theory suggests that Boyajian's Star's long-term trend may be accelerating?

Frederic Parker, another YouTuber covering this story, suggests that there are indications the dimming trend may exceed the predicted rate, implying an even faster expansion of the dust cloud or another undiscovered phenomenon.

Q: What would it mean if Boyajian's Star completely disappears?

If the star disappears completely, it would signify a significant shift in its behavior and leave researchers with an even more puzzling situation to explore.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Boyajian's Star is experiencing deep dips in brightness across different wavelengths, indicating the presence of dust rather than solid alien megastructures.

• The star's long-term dimming trend has become even stranger, with sustained dimming over the last ten days.

• The rapid construction of a Dyson sphere by an alien civilization seems impractical, but it could serve as a warning or a message to other civilizations.