Shattered comet around alien star, illustration. This star (KIC 8462852) is one of many observed by NASA's Kepler space observatory, which was launche
Shattered comet around alien star, illustration. This star (KIC 8462852) is one of many observed by NASA's Kepler space observatory, which was launched in 2009. The presence of the cometary debris was also detected using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The unusual light signals are thought to be from dusty comet fragments, which blocked the light of the star as they passed in front of it in 2011 and 2013. The comets are thought to be travelling around the star in a very long, eccentric orbit. This star is around 1470 light years from Earth, in the constellation of Cygnus. This image was published in 2015.
Size: 5574px × 3135px
Photo credit: © NASA/JPL-CALTECH/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -, 2015, 21st, 8462852, artwork, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, boyajians, century, comet, cometary, cygnus, debris, discovered, discovery, hunting, illustration, kepler, kic, mission, nasa, orbiting, parent, planet, planetary, science, space, spitzer, star, system, tabbys, telescope, universe
