# What blocks the light during the deep, irregular dips? · Tabby's star (KIC 8462852) > Five answers have been proposed. Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it. leads, with… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:54+00:00 --- **0** # What blocks the light during the deep, irregular dips? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·5 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Five answers have been proposed. Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it. leads, with evidence 2 for, 2 against: supported by its tests. Four are still possible. Of the three narrower questions under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters The dips are the phenomenon that made the star famous and the one any explanation must reproduce: depths up to about 20 per cent, irregular shapes, no period, and no infrared excess⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6TGR30ZB/planet-hunters-ix-kic-8462852-wheres-the-flux). The 2017 colour measurements narrowed the field to material that absorbs blue light more than red⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6TRJ1Q2M/the-first-post-kepler-brightness-dips-of-kic-8462852)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6VZM0D8Z/non-grey-dimming-events-of-kic-8462852-from-gtc), but several sources of such material remain in play. ## Answers 5 [**Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/answers/ANS0D8E77PM4YKA/clumps-of-fine-dust-orbiting-the-star-released-by-comets) Supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for, 2 against Most likely [**Large artificial structures orbiting the star.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/answers/ANS0D8E7AW65TQF/large-artificial-structures-orbiting-the-star) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 3 against Disputed [**Material between us and the star, not bound to it, such as structure in the interstellar medium or a small…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/answers/ANS0D8E78XP0036/material-between-us-and-the-star-not-bound-to-it-such-as) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 2 for, 1 against Still possible [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/answers/ANS0D8E7BVE6V8W/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**Variability of the star itself, for example in its photosphere, rather than an occulter.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/answers/ANS0D8E79WY03MS/variability-of-the-star-itself-for-example-in-its) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 1 for, 2 against Disputed ## History 1. 2016[Boyajian et al. puts forward: clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6TGR30ZB/planet-hunters-ix-kic-8462852-wheres-the-flux) 1. 2016[Wright & Sigurdsson puts forward: material between us and the star, not bound to it, such as structure in the interstellar medium or a small…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6XEG2N4H/families-of-plausible-solutions-to-the-puzzle-of-boyajians) 1. 2016[Wright & Sigurdsson puts forward: variability of the star itself, for example in its photosphere, rather than an occulter.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6XEG2N4H/families-of-plausible-solutions-to-the-puzzle-of-boyajians) 1. 2016[Wright et al. puts forward: large artificial structures orbiting the star.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6XPA3DBQ/the-g-search-for-extraterrestrial-civilizations-with-large) 1. 2016[Boyajian et al.: there is no infrared excess, so there is no large reservoir of warm dust near the star.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6TGR30ZB/planet-hunters-ix-kic-8462852-wheres-the-flux)Against: Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it. 1. 2016[Boyajian et al.: dip ingress and egress times of days fit material moving at orbital speeds close to the star better than a…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6TGR30ZB/planet-hunters-ix-kic-8462852-wheres-the-flux)Against: Material between us and the star, not bound to it, such as structure in the interstellar medium or a small… 1. 2018[Deeg et al.: grains this small are blown out by radiation pressure and must be renewed from a comoving body within days.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6VZM0D8Z/non-grey-dimming-events-of-kic-8462852-from-gtc)Against: Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it. 1. 2018[Boyajian et al.: the 2017 dips were deeper in blue than red with no change in spectrum or polarisation; the authors favour…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6TRJ1Q2M/the-first-post-kepler-brightness-dips-of-kic-8462852)For: Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it. 1. 2018[Deeg et al.: gTC spectrophotometry gives an Ångström coefficient of 2.19 ± 0.45, consistent with grains of 0.0015 to 0.15…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6VZM0D8Z/non-grey-dimming-events-of-kic-8462852-from-gtc)For: Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it. 1. 2018[Boyajian et al.: no change in the stellar spectrum or polarisation was seen during the 2017 dips.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6TRJ1Q2M/the-first-post-kepler-brightness-dips-of-kic-8462852)Against: Variability of the star itself, for example in its photosphere, rather than an occulter. 1. 2018[Boyajian et al.: the 2017 campaign notes its data may also be consistent with variations intrinsic to the photosphere.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6TRJ1Q2M/the-first-post-kepler-brightness-dips-of-kic-8462852)For: Variability of the star itself, for example in its photosphere, rather than an occulter. 1. 2018[Boyajian et al.: the 2017 dips were chromatic, which large opaque structures would not produce.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8E6TRJ1Q2M/the-first-post-kepler-brightness-dips-of-kic-8462852)Against: Large artificial structures orbiting the star. 1. Oct 2026[Session 1: worked on two of its sub-questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/records/SES0DDYJJVWGV9C/session-1-the-century-fade-re-tested-in-dasch-dr7-and-the) ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips%23add-source) Where it fits Tabby's star (KIC 8462852) **What blocks the light during the deep, irregular dips?** Key question · you're here [Has the dipping stopped, or does it come in episodes?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E77ET2CAQ/has-the-dipping-stopped-or-does-it-come-in-episodes)Most likely · dipping comes in episodes separated by years of quiet, with no strict period [If the dips are dust, what produces it in large, short-lived clumps?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76QC6BDA/if-the-dips-are-dust-what-produces-it-in-large-short-lived)Most likely · the fragments of a broken-up comet or planetesimal on an eccentric orbit, passing in front of the star in… [Is the 1.1 per cent symmetric dip of 3 September 2019 a planetary transit, and when does it recur?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0DDYGWCC8HBG/is-the-1-1-per-cent-symmetric-dip-of-3-september-2019-a)No evidence yet · no answers yet [ Ask a question under this one ]