Journal Club
Update of Boyajian's star from observations in 2017: Has the mystery been solved?

Hans Deeg

Abstract

KIC 8462852, also known as the Boyajian's star, was observed by the Kepler mission during 4 years. During that time, this star underwent several events of strong brightness variations that are unlike that of any other known astronomical object. Since 2017, an intense ground-based observing campaign has been under way to closely survey this target for further brightness variations. The coverage of several minor such variations from both multicolor photometry and spectrophotometry showed that these events have a color-signature. This observation is compatible with the hypothesis by Neslu?an & Budaj of a pool of dusty planetesimals that may occasionally pass close to the star. Their  optically thin dust shroud might then generate the observed colors. However, while current observations support this scenario, they do not prove it. Alternative explanations for the star’s behavior will be revised, and in particular, variations in the temperature of the stellar surface will be evaluated for their compatibility with the observations. Furthermore, an update on the observing campaign of Boyajian’s star will be given, possibly with input from new data acquired in the first half of 2018.

About the talk

Update of Boyajian's star from observations in 2017: Has the mystery been solved?
Hans Deeg
IAC
Wednesday March 14, 2018 - 12:30 GMT  (Aula)
en     en
iCalendar KIC 8462852, also known as the Boyajian's star, was observed by the Kepler mission during 4 years. During that time, this star underwent several events of strong brightness variations that are unlike that of any other known astronomical object. Since 2017, an intense ground-based observing campaign has been under way to closely survey this target for further brightness variations. The coverage of several minor such variations from both multicolor photometry and spectrophotometry showed that these events have a color-signature. This observation is compatible with the hypothesis by Neslu?an & Budaj of a pool of dusty planetesimals that may occasionally pass close to the star. Their  optically thin dust shroud might then generate the observed colors. However, while current observations support this scenario, they do not prove it. Alternative explanations for the star’s behavior will be revised, and in particular, variations in the temperature of the stellar surface will be evaluated for their compatibility with the observations. Furthermore, an update on the observing campaign of Boyajian’s star will be given, possibly with input from new data acquired in the first half of 2018.

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