WHAT IS TABBY'S STAR?
Tabby's Star, known officially as KIC 8462852 but named for Tabetha Boyajian who first discovered it in 2015, has baffled experts ever since.
Observations revealed its light dimmed regularly, as do distant stars when their planets pass in front of them.
But while the stars of most exoplanet systems are seen to dim by a few per cent, KIC 8462852 dimmed by more than 20 per cent over periods of months.
Previous studies have claimed the strange dimming could be evidence of a Dyson Sphere (artist's impression pictured)
Some have claimed this dimming could be evidence of a Dyson Sphere – a hypothetical structure which could be used by an advanced alien race to harness the energy of a star.
But now, scientists say the real cause of the dimming seen at Tabby’s Star may be far more mundane.
Experts believe dust is why it appears to dim and brighten as different colours of light are blocked by different intensities.
Read articles that feature this panel
Mysterious 'alien megastructure' star is DIMMING again: Experts say Tabby's Star is experiencing the 'deepest dip' in brightness since 2013
A team monitoring Tabby’s Star says it has dimmed to the lowest levels seen since in five years, offering a new opportunity for scientists...
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