The truth is out there

[Rembo]

http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/10/the-most-interesting-star-in-our-galaxy/410023/

Synopsis: the Keppler Space Telescope, which has been used in an exoplanet hunt for the past few years has collected some truly strange data.
It has been looking at stars in order to measure drops in brightness, which, if periodical, are usually an indication of an orbiting body.
Amongst the 150k stars it's been watching, one stands out. The reason is the wholly unexpected frequency and number of brightness drops.

Hypotheses have been put forward to explain this, but none of them do not raise questions.
The very very last to be considered, yet still not impossible, is a Dyson Swarm, which is a collection of objects, designed and built to collect solar radiation. This would indicate a Type II civilization, on the Kardashev scale...

Now mind you, I'm not saying it's aliens. I'm just saying that it is NOT IMPOSSIBLE for it to be aliens.

SETI's gonna point some radio telescopes that way by Januari, to see if the collection of bodies sends out any radio signals which MIGHT be of technological origin...

Could be interesting, no?


EDIT: I am truly sorry for the title. I could not help myself...

[Cain]

The one time this guy may be right about anything:

[Rembo]

Honestly, that exact picture popped into my mind when I read the headline, only just after this one:

https://f1.bcbits.com/img/a2110998030_16.jpg

not a viable form for a Dyson structure, but a pretty picture

[LMNO]

If it's a type II civilization, then it most likely has the same telescopic ability to view other solar systems. Which means it probably knows about us. 

Ergo, we're that guy at the party no one wants to make eye contact with.

[Cain]

Or we're the after dinner snack they're saving for last.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Worse, we're not even at the party.  They just sit out there, listening to our EM signature the way you'd listen to the loud yahoo music coming from the trailer park halfway across town, and you take comfort in the knowledge that nobody will ever get out of that park, they'll all die of meth abuse first.

And there are worse things than a little noise.

[Nast]

Assuming it's aliens, star in question is about 1500 light years away, so what we're seeing is in fact ANCIENT ALIENS.

Worse, we're not even at the party.  They just sit out there, listening to our EM signature the way you'd listen to the loud yahoo music coming from the trailer park halfway across town, and you take comfort in the knowledge that nobody will ever get out of that park, they'll all die of meth abuse first.

And there are worse things than a little noise.

I also believe that if there are highly advanced alien civilizations out there, they probably already know about us and are not making contact with us because a) we're embarrassing b) they're making bets on how quickly we blow ourselves up.

[Rembo]

Well. if they'd look at our star they'd see there's a planet here. No fancy solar panels around the sun here...

Now if they'd listen to our TV and radio transmissions, then they'd hear... Nothing. At least for another... what 1430 odd years?

Plus the first few things they'd hear would include a lot of WWI and II propaganda...

[Cain]

Dyson himself isn't even a hundred years old, but this star is nearly 1,500 lightyears away! How would they even know how to build a Dyson sphere?

#checkmateatheists

[The Wizard Joseph]

I believe that I heard this particular star is very high above the galactic plane. IF there was an impossibly ancient galactic civ it would still need to seek efficiency in its endeavors. Seems to me that if your civilization is only going to place just so many Dysonian structures, due to what I imagine are the difficult logistics of construction, then placing high above the plane is an optimal spot for signaling and receiving.

I'll have to see if I can confirm that placement info.

Dyson himself isn't even a hundred years old, but this star is nearly 1,500 lightyears away! How would they even know how to build a Dyson sphere?

#checkmateatheists

Along those lines I would just lose my shit if we made first contact only to discover that theology isn't actually a strictly human thing.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Well. if they'd look at our star they'd see there's a planet here. No fancy solar panels around the sun here...

Now if they'd listen to our TV and radio transmissions, then they'd hear... Nothing. At least for another... what 1430 odd years?

Plus the first few things they'd hear would include a lot of WWI and II propaganda...

Unfortunately, radio and television signals are nothing but static after a light year.  Which is too bad, because I want everyone 35 light years away from us being subjected to Three's Company.

[Rembo]

You got meh! Should've realized that:p
The contents would be indecipherable, only the frequency, band and surviving binary patterns would hint to a technological origin.

[The Wizard Joseph]

Well. if they'd look at our star they'd see there's a planet here. No fancy solar panels around the sun here...

Now if they'd listen to our TV and radio transmissions, then they'd hear... Nothing. At least for another... what 1430 odd years?

Plus the first few things they'd hear would include a lot of WWI and II propaganda...

Unfortunately, radio and television signals are nothing but static after a light year.  Which is too bad, because I want everyone 35 light years away from us being subjected to Three's Company.

"Come and knock on our door. We'll be waiting for you where the kisses are hers and hers and his. Three's company too."

- lingua/musical invitation sent from initially suspected "easy mark" planet. Scans reveal high levels of exotic radio isotopes in atmosphere and several active subatomic particle collision devices embedded in the planetary crust. Indefinite contact hold order given to assess possible "trap" planet status.

[Cain]

Well. if they'd look at our star they'd see there's a planet here. No fancy solar panels around the sun here...

Now if they'd listen to our TV and radio transmissions, then they'd hear... Nothing. At least for another... what 1430 odd years?

Plus the first few things they'd hear would include a lot of WWI and II propaganda...

Unfortunately, radio and television signals are nothing but static after a light year.  Which is too bad, because I want everyone 35 light years away from us being subjected to Three's Company.

Not all of us want to be eaten by aliens.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Well. if they'd look at our star they'd see there's a planet here. No fancy solar panels around the sun here...

Now if they'd listen to our TV and radio transmissions, then they'd hear... Nothing. At least for another... what 1430 odd years?

Plus the first few things they'd hear would include a lot of WWI and II propaganda...

Unfortunately, radio and television signals are nothing but static after a light year.  Which is too bad, because I want everyone 35 light years away from us being subjected to Three's Company.

Not all of us want to be eaten by aliens.

I don't think they'd eat us.  They'd just aim comets at us.  Really fucking big ones.