Star KIC 8462852, a.k.a. Tabby’s Star, image on Astronomy Picture of the Day. See more at http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160613.html
Credit: Shannons
KIC 8462852, was just an unremarkable star 1,480 light years away, until citizen scientists noticed its extreme & irregular dimming. Tabetha Boyajian, an astronomer at Louisiana State University, set up a Kickstarter project which raised over $100,000 (largest single pledge, $10,000) to fund use of a telescope to find out more.
Tabetha Boyajian on Ted Talks
Kickstarter project
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/608159144/the-most-mysterious-star-in-the-galaxy/description
Tabby’s Star has its own Subreddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/KIC8462852/
Wired
http://www.wired.com/2016/08/mysterious-star-universe-became-brand/?mbid=nl_82316_p2&CNDID= / revealed first data telescope survey very special star using Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network watch unpredictable dimmings KIC 8462852 star 1,480 light years away strange flickering pattern many explanations stars asteroids or comets passing between there and Earth turned this star into a star making Boyajian’s new survey possible aliens new research wouldn’t exist support 1,762 people who signed on Boyajian’s Kickstarter campaign emailed sneak data-peek yesterday entire subreddit devoted discussion Tabby’s Star we’ll get to the bottom greatest mystery ever faced scientific community user named Pringlecks member shared Boyajian’s email forum Tabby’s Star logo moniker figurehead cohesive online presence fan base brand now points to new way of doing science Tabby’s Star began celebrity ascent more than five years ago Kepler exoplanet telescope collected weird data March 2011 scientists believe something huge passed in front of KIC 8462852 whatever it was big enough block 15 percent of its light 28 February 2013 happened again blocking 22 percent reference Jupiter transit darkens the Sun just 1 percent data also showed bunch of smaller irregular dips in brightness group citizen scientists Planet Hunters were the first to notice saw KIC 8462852 weird behavior Kepler data alerted Boyajian member Planet Hunters science team brainstormed astronomical explanations discovery paper subtitle Where’s the Flux WTF idea that astronomer Jason Wright proposed what if alien megastructures big construction projects circled the star Boyajian eventually embraced megastructures last-resort hypothesis harness monetize excitement aliens work solving mystery KIC 8462852 star’s dips don’t come regular intervals needed long-term program catch the action Kickstarter project page Most Mysterious Star in the Universe $100,000 Boyajian’s team monitor star one year using private Las Cumbres telescope network long shot scientist regular outlets blast the notice millions of people 1,762 backers donated more than $107,000 overwhelmed humbled public support WTF science megastructures Kickstarter page most of the backers cheering astronomers wary associating themselves alien hypothesis lumped with UFO spotters accused hyping unlikeliest explanation publicity people get more excited about hypothetical extraterrestrials swarms of comets current leading explanation comet swarms are also cool community psyched for this science unfolding an help unfold Tabby’s Star star of the people story non-professionals interacting inexplicable data uncovered it in the first place put it on Boyajian’s radar their clicks made it popular their disposable income funding private project get more data informational website called Where’s The Flux new faculty job Louisiana State University official website reddit official /r/KIC8462852 page some posts are technical Gaia data release Tabby’s Star crowd new data Las Cumbres follow-up project Tabby’s Star multiple colors check out public data-processing software code citizen observers backyard telescopes contribute their own observations American Association of Variable Star Observers hypotheses science data SETI scientists official protocol Declaration of Principles Concerning Activities Following the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence other research other scientists aliens disseminate promptly openly widely through scientific channels public media observing procedures declaration International Academy of Astronautics post it to Reddit /
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