Have astronomers discovered an alien structure?

[Papa Lazarou]

What? Have you actually read the reports?

http://kepler.nasa.gov/

Kepler doesn't measure wobble. It measures starlight and looks for the characteristic dip as objects transit the face of the star between it and the spacecraft. It relies on line of sight and so only works if the plane of the orbit is in exact alignment. This implies then that it can only discover a fraction of the stars with planets. What it does mean is you can deduce the size of the object. Something reduces the starlight by 22% (as seen from Earth 1500 light years away) of a star 1.5x the size of our Sun must be vast.

Exactly - which is why they spent so much time trying to find a cause. As they said, the only plausible cause they can think of is something like a Dyson Sphere.

 

[beorhthelm]

Kepler doesn't measure wobble. It measures starlight and looks for the characteristic dip as objects transit the face of the star between it and the spacecraft.

that dip has been described as a wobble.

and "they" say it could be something like a solar array, not a dyson sphere. as that goes all around a star it cant be that - wouldn't see the star.

 

[Igzilla]

Exactly - which is why they spent so much time trying to find a cause. As they said, the only plausible cause they can think of is something like a Dyson Sphere.

There is still the passing star theory, but would be a big coincidence to see a comet swarm at that brief moment when it's literally just occurred, when you consider the line of sight geometry as well. However, the lack of excess infrared radiation you see with comet swarms around young stars makes this even less likely. Let's not jump to conclusions though. There is a small, nearby star that might have disrupted the system, but it's clear that whatever is going on there, it is very, very unusual.

 

[Igzilla]

that dip has been described as a wobble.

Well, it's not. Radial velocity measures "wobble". Transits measures dip.

http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/page/methods

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Alien battle fleet ?

 

[Igzilla]

that dip has been described as a wobble.

and "they" say it could be something like a solar array, not a dyson sphere. as that goes all around a star it cant be that - wouldn't see the star.

I'm not going to bother arguing about scientific terminology. I've posted the links for you to read.

As for the Dyson sphere, this is correct. Doesn't preclude that any alien civilisation might be in the process of building one. After all, I'm not sure it's something you could knock up in your shed over the course of a weekend.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Alien battle fleet ?

Only if they're coming straight towards us.

 

[beorhthelm]

Well, it's not. Radial velocity measures "wobble". Transits measures dip.

http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/page/methods

thankyou.