KIC 8462852: Maria Mitchell Observatory Photographic Photometry 1922 to 1991

Volume 46 number 1 (2018)

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Michael Castelaz

Division of Science and Mathematics, Brevard College, Brevard, NC 28712; michael.castelaz@brevard.edu

Thurburn Barker

Astronomical Photographic Data Archive, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, Rosman, NC 28772; tbarker@pari.edu

Abstract

A new study of the long-term photometric behavior of the the unusual star KIC 8462852 (Boyajian’s Star) has been carried out using archival photographic plates from 1922–1991 taken at the Maria Mitchell Observatory (MMO). We find five episodes of sudden, several day, decreases in magnitude occurring in 1935, 1966, 1978, and two in 1980. Episodes of sudden increase in magnitude appear to occur in 1967 and 1977. Inspection of archival light curves of KIC 8462852 from two previous studies based on the Harvard and the Sonneberg plate collections finds apparent corresponding events to these observed episodes in the MMO light curve. Also, a general trend of 0.12 ± 0.02 magnitude per century decrease is observed in the MMO light curve, significant, but less than the trend of 0.164 ± 0.013 observed in the Harvard light curve.