Answer · Tabby's star (KIC 8462852)

Comets driven onto star-grazing orbits by the bound M-dwarf companion through the eccentric Kozai-Lidov…

Comets driven onto star-grazing orbits by the bound M-dwarf companion through the eccentric Kozai-Lidov mechanism.

DisputedAnswers 1 questionPublished0

Where it stands

DisputedOne piece of evidence for, one against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

What it predicts

A misaligned planetesimal belt at hundreds of au and a companion orbit that can excite it.

What would rule it out

A population estimate showing the mechanism is too rare to appear in the Kepler field.

Evidence 1 for · 1 against

The companion is bound, at 880 ± 10 au projected separation.

Established

FOR

A Monte Carlo model gives a probability of about 1.3 × 10⁻³ of seeing one or more such stars in the Kepler…

Supported

AGAINST

The questions it answers

If the dips are dust, what produces it in large, short-lived clumps?

Part of What blocks the light during the deep, irregular dips?

Most likelyThe fragments of a broken-up comet or planetesimal on an eccentric orbit, passing in front of the star in…

Cite it

Mysteries Department. (2026). Comets driven onto star-grazing orbits by the bound M-dwarf companion through the eccentric Kozai-Lidov… [Answer ANS0D8E7D2G4BMZ]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D8E7D2G4BMZ

@misc{mysteriesdept_ans0d8e7d2g4bmz,
  title     = {Comets driven onto star-grazing orbits by the bound M-dwarf companion through the eccentric Kozai-Lidov…},
  author    = {{Mysteries Department}},
  year      = {2026},
  note      = {Answer, catalog key ANS0D8E7D2G4BMZ},
  url       = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D8E7D2G4BMZ}
}