In recent years, the star Tabby , located about 1,300 light years distant from Earth, has been putting all astronomers on guard due to its unusual behavior. The star registers irregular changes in its brightness never before observed in the universe , and that do not seem to be due to an ordinary cause.
A team from the University of Valencia and the Institute of Physics of Cantabria has developed a plausible theory based on a natural phenomenon that would explain the reason for the variations in the brightness of the star Tabby, and that is consistent with the observations of the universe made up to now.
Normally, when a star that is not variable registers changes in its brightness, it is due to another celestial body passing in front of it and “darkening” it. In fact, it is a way to detect extrasolar planets . But in the case of Tabby, due to the irregular curves that describe these brightness rounds, no medium-sized spherical planet could be causing these disturbances. The study by the University of Valencia proposes that it is a planet with rings, accompanied by two groups of asteroids in its path, which causes these obscurations, and would explain the reason for the irregularity and the magnitude of the same.
Since these changes have been observed in the star Tabby, many theories have emerged as to what the cause may be. Specifically, one of the most famous, developed by astrophysicist Jason Wright, proposes that it is an alien structure that is causing such disturbances in Tabby’s brightness. But Fernando J. Ballesteros , co-author of the study, has detailed Muy Interesante: “any explanation that we give has to be in the hands of something extraordinary. But we did not even believe that the disturbances were caused by an artificial phenomenon – known as spheres. of Dyson-. This is what encouraged us to propose our theory, which is quite probable and is based on phenomena that we have observed in the universe ”.
Ballesteros has explained what the response that his team has given to the changes in the brightness of the star Tabby consists of.
Two different types of light curves are seen in disturbances in the star’s brightness. The first one is asymmetric, but it could describe a ringed planet slightly inclined with respect to its orbit , as is the case with Saturn. The second, which occurs two years later, “is totally chaos,” but suggests that it is a collection of asteroids that accompany the planet, known as Trojans. These Trojans are positioned in front of and behind the planet, at an angle of 60 degrees. “The Trojans are always located at 60 degrees. That is one sixth of the entire orbit. If two years later, we calculate that the entire orbit is 12 years, ” he details.
The dates match. The first disturbance in Tabby’s brightness occurred in 2011 , with a 15% dimming of the star. This corresponds to the passage of the planet in front of her. The next disturbance to alert astronomers was in 2013 , up to 20% obscuration , associated with Trojan asteroids .
Therefore, to test the theory, the planet is expected to pass in front of the star again in 2023 , 12 years after it did so for the first time. In addition, in 2021 the first group of Trojans should pass and in 2025, the second. “If by that time the same disturbances are observed again, the same two irregular curvatures, the theory will be demonstrated.”
During the month of May, other changes in the brightness of the star Tabby have put astronomers on alert: obscurations of a small percentage, 2 or 3%. “The observations of the last few weeks may fit our theory. It has been 6 years since the planet passed in front of the star (in 2011). That is half of the orbit. Right now, asteroids are passing that are accompanying the planet at their opposite point , called Hildas. This happens with many giant planets, like Jupiter, “he explains.
Still, the Ballesteros team theory has some drawbacks. The celestial body that is obscuring Tabby should be an extraordinarily large planet. But it shouldn’t be bigger than 170 times the mass of Jupiter . Otherwise, “we would notice disturbances in the orbit of the star, and that does not happen,” he explains. That such a large planet could exist in such an ancient solar system , hundreds of thousands of years old, is a mystery, and one of the drawbacks of the theory.
The Ballesteros team’s study is still pending review , and is scheduled to be published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
