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A planet shouldn't dim a star much. To dim it you need to reduce the
rate of fusion reactions, typically by making it less dense -
planets instead add opaque and dense "metals" (astronomer slang for
"not hydrogen and helium") that heat things up. Besides, the
components of a dissolved planet would take ages to reach the core.<br>
<br>
I think the cause is some mundane astrophysics, but there is room
for a lot of weird effects from mundane astrophysics. Just consider
stellar oscillations, where all sorts of nonlinear things happen.
Maybe this is the first case of a super-long periodic variable.<br>
<br>
I was squinting at the light curve and trying to get it to fit my
conception of Dyson-building, and I cannot get it to fit any
rational approach I can see. Of course, you can build megastructures
just for fun or according to a random schedule. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2016-08-06 04:46, Dan TheBookMan
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:1E945679-D389-41D5-8278-01A2CA3476DE@gmail.com"
type="cite">
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<div><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://on.io9.com/1F00tSo">http://on.io9.com/1F00tSo</a><br>
<br>
Could it just be something rather mundane but rare to actually
see in such detail, such as the aftermath of a planet falling
into the star?<br>
<br>
<div style="line-height: normal;"><font><span
style="line-height: 20px; background-color: rgba(255, 255,
255, 0);">Regards,</span></font></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height:
20px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>
</span></div>
<div>
<div style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height:
20px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dan</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<div style="line-height: normal;"><span
style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
Sample my latest Kindle book, "The Late Mr. Gurlitt,"
at:</span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a
moz-do-not-send="true" dir="ltr"
href="http://mybook.to/Gurlitt"
x-apple-data-detectors="true"
x-apple-data-detectors-type="link"
x-apple-data-detectors-result="1">http://mybook.to/Gurlitt</a></span></div>
</div>
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</blockquote>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Dr Anders Sandberg
Future of Humanity Institute
Oxford Martin School
Oxford University</pre>
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