KIC 8462852

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

KIC 8462852

KIC 8462852 in IR and UV.png

KIC 8462852 in infrared and ultraviolet

Observation data

Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)

Constellation Cygnus

Right ascension 20h 06m 15.457s

Declination +44 27 24.61

Apparent magnitude (V) +11.7050.017

Characteristics

Evolutionary stage Main sequence[1]

Spectral type F3V

BV color index 0.557

VR color index 0.349

RI color index 0.305

JH color index 0.212

JK color index 0.264

Astrometry

Proper motion () RA: 9.92.6 mas/yr

Dec.: 10.52.4 mas/yr

Parallax () 2.555 0.311[2] mas

Distance 1276.6+398.2

245.3 ly

(391.4+122.1
75.2 pc)

Absolute magnitude (MV) 3.08[1][3]

Details

Mass 1.43[1] M

Radius 1.58[1] R

Luminosity (bolometric) 4.68[1] L

Surface gravity (log g) 4.00.2[4] cgs

Temperature 6750120[1] K

Metallicity 0.00.1[1]

Rotation 0.87970.0001 days[1]

Rotational velocity (v sin i) 844[1] km/s

Other designations

Tabby's Star, Boyajian's Star, WTF Star, TYC 3162-665-1,[1] 2MASS

J20061546+4427248,[1] LGM-2[5]

Database references

SIMBAD data

KIC data

KIC 8462852[1] (also Tabby's Star or WTF Star) is an F-type main-sequence

star located in the constellation Cygnus approximately 1,276.6+398.2

245.3 light-years (391.4+122.1

75.2 pc) from Earth.[2] Unusual light fluctuations of the star were
discovered by citizen scientists as part of the Planet Hunters project, and in
September 2015 astronomers and citizen scientists associated with the
project posted a preprint of a paper on arXiv describing the data and possible
interpretations.[1] The discovery was made from data collected by the Kepler
space telescope,[1][6] which observes changes in the brightness of distant
stars to detect exoplanets.[7]

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the star's large irregular
changes in brightness as measured by its unusual light curve, but none have
fully explained all aspects of the curve. The leading hypothesis, based on a
lack of observed infrared light, posits a swarm of cold, dusty comet fragments
in a highly eccentric orbit.[8][9][10] Another hypothesis is that of a large
number of small masses in "tight formation" orbiting the star.[6] It has been
speculated that the changes in brightness could be signs of activity
associated with intelligent extraterrestrial life constructing a Dyson swarm.[6]
[11][12][13] The SETI Institute's initial radio reconnaissance of KIC 8462852,
however, found no evidence of technology-related radio signals from the star.
[14][15][16]

KIC 8462852 is not the only star that has such large irregular dimmings.
However, all other such stars are young stellar objects called YSO dippers
that have different dimming patterns. An example of such an object is EPIC
204278916.[17][18]

Contents [hide]

1 Etymology

2 Apparent location

3 History of observations

4 Luminosity

4.1 Kepler light curves

5 Hypotheses

5.1 Younger star with coalescing material around it

5.2 Planetary debris field

5.3 A cloud of disintegrating comets

5.4 An artificial megastructure

5.5 Consumption of a planet

6 Follow-up studies

6.1 SETI results

6.2 EPIC 204278916

7 See also
8 References

9 External links

Etymology[edit]

The names "Tabby's Star" and "Boyajian's Star" refer to the initial study's lead
author, Tabetha S. Boyajian;[19][20] KIC 8462852 is also known as the "WTF
Star", after the study's subtitle "Where's The Flux?"[21][22][23][24] (a joking
reference to the colloquial expression of disbelief "WTF").[25]

Apparent location[edit]

Map showing location of NGC 6866. KIC 8462852 is northeast between NGC
6866 and Cygni.

KIC 8462852 in Cygnus[26] is located roughly halfway between the major

visually apparent (visible to the naked eye) bright stars Deneb ( Cyg,
Cygni, Alpha Cygni) and Delta Cygni ( Cyg, Cygni) as part of the Northern
Cross.[27] KIC 8462852 is situated south of Omicron Cygni ( Cygni, 31
Cygni), and northeast of the star cluster NGC 6866.[27] While only a few
arcminutes away from the cluster, it is unrelated and closer to the Sun than it
is to the star cluster.

With an apparent magnitude of 11.7, the star cannot be seen by the naked
eye, but is visible with a 5-inch (130 mm) telescope[28] in a dark sky with
little light pollution.

History of observations[edit]

KIC 8462852 was observed as early as the year 1890.[29][30][31] The star
was cataloged in the Tycho, 2MASS, UCAC4 and WISE astronomical
catalogs[32] (published in 1997, 2003, 2009 and 2012, respectively).[33][34]
[35][36]

The main source of information about the luminosity fluctuations of KIC

8462852 is the Kepler space observatory. During its primary and extended
mission from 2009 to 2013 it continuously monitored the light curves of over
100,000 stars in a patch of sky in the constellations Cygnus and Lyra.[37]