The Cosmic Mystery of Tabby’s Star
1,272In 2015, amateur astronomers discovered a star 1,400 light-years away in Cygnus that was randomly dimming by over 20%, with no clear pattern. This star, now called Tabby’s Star, had been slowly dimming for over a century, which was bizarre for a star of its type.
Several theories were tossed around. A giant planet blocking the light? Too big. Dust? Maybe, but Tabby’s Star is too old for a protoplanetary disc. A massive comet swarm? Highly unlikely, especially given the long-term dimming. And then, of course, aliens—maybe a Dyson Sphere? But that would block all light, not just certain wavelengths.
The final theory: fine space dust. It could explain both the short-term dips and gradual dimming. Where the dust comes from, though, is still unclear—some believe it might be from a moon that was destroyed after getting too close to the star.
So, while dust is the most likely culprit, the mystery of Tabby’s Star remains unsolved. Aliens? Still possible, but not in the way we thought. The search for answers continues.