Alien Technosignature? The Mysterious Star VVV-WIT-08

TL;DR

Scientists have observed a star, triple v wit08, that experienced a significant drop in brightness, indicating the presence of a large object blocking its light. While natural explanations have been considered, the possibility of an alien megastructure cannot be entirely ruled out.

Transcript

longtime listeners to this channel will probably remember the strange tale of the star kic 8462852 also known as tabby star boyajian's star the alien megastructure star and the wtf star for much of 2016 and 2017 the star was on the table as a candidate for an alien techno signature because the kepler light curve taken of the star was consistent wit... Read More

Key Insights

• 👽 The behavior of KIC 8462852, also known as Tabby's Star, was determined to be caused by fine dust in its orbit, ruling out the possibility of an alien megastructure.
• 🚦 Another star, triple v wit08, has shown a significant drop in brightness, indicating the presence of a solid object blocking its light with sharp and well-defined edges.
• 🫢 Natural explanations for the object obstructing triple v wit08 have been considered but come with their own set of problems, leaving the possibility of an alien megastructure open.
• 🚦 Further study and analysis of triple v wit08 and other similar phenomena are necessary to determine the true nature of the object blocking its light.
• 🥰 Direct observations of triple v wit08 might not be possible for centuries, making it a potential technosignature candidate for a long time.
• 👽 The possibility of an alien megastructure, such as a partial Dyson sphere or a Shkadov thruster, cannot be entirely dismissed, although natural explanations are more likely.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the initial speculation regarding KIC 8462852, also known as Tabby's Star?

The initial speculation was that the star's strange light curve indicated the presence of an alien megastructure, but it was later determined to be caused by fine dust in its orbit.

Q: How is triple v wit08 different from Tabby's Star?

Unlike Tabby's Star, triple v wit08 experienced a much larger drop in brightness (97%) and showed signs of a solid object blocking its light with well-defined edges.

Q: What are some potential natural explanations for the object obstructing triple v wit08?

Potential natural explanations include companion stars, white dwarf discs, and brown dwarfs, but none of them seem to fit the observations.

Q: Could the dimming of triple v wit08 be due to an alien megastructure?

While it is unlikely, the possibility of an alien megastructure cannot be entirely ruled out and remains a topic for discussion until more data and analysis are available.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The previously known star, KIC 8462852 (aka Tabby's Star), which was once speculated to have an alien megastructure, has now been determined to be caused by fine dust in its orbit.

• Scientists have observed another star, triple v wit08, that experienced a 97% drop in brightness, suggesting the presence of a solid object blocking its light.

• The nature of the object obstructing triple v wit08 is still unknown, and while natural explanations have been considered, the possibility of an alien megastructure cannot be ruled out.