[–] CarthOSassy 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
It's probably dust. I hope it's aliens, though.
[–] rwbj [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
That was one of the bigger discoveries here leading to bullet point number 1. He gets into this around 4 minutes. There were extended simultaneous measurements taken with a V / visual light filter and a B / blue (shorter wavelength) filter. Dust and gas reflects/blocks visible light more than higher frequency light. If the buildup of whatever is causing the dimming around the star was an accumulation of dust or gas you'd expect less and less V band filter light to get to us relative to the B band filter levels. Instead the delta between these is staying consistent.
The accelerating dimming and consistency are also particularly tough on dust explanations, but I think the above near kills it off altogether.
[–] CarthOSassy ago
That's fascinating. What are the best inert hypotheses, then? A intervening planet? Blackhole? Could the star itself be... lumpy?
[–] NotWearingPants 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Pandora's Star by Peter F Hamilton?
[–] tame 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
I was thinking the OnOff Star from 'A Deepness in the Sky' by Vernor Vinge.