Seletatavus

Seletatavus is a fictional astronomical phenomenon used in speculative fiction and thought experiments to illustrate challenges in interpreting variable celestial sources. The term is a constructed neologism and does not correspond to any real object or class recognized by current science.

In the standard fictional framework, Seletatavus refers to a class of compact, radiative sources with distinctive multiwavelength variability. They typically exhibit rapid luminosity changes on timescales from hours to days and show broad, evolving spectral energy distributions. Emission features may drift in wavelength as the source evolves, and polarization measures are often high during peak activity, sometimes reversing orientation when the geometry of accretion, jets, or magnetic fields shifts.

Origins and taxonomy within fiction: The concept originated in speculative narratives as a thought experiment to explore how intrinsic variability, extrinsic effects like lensing, and environmental factors can confound distance estimates and physical inferences. Authors sometimes subdivide Seletatavus into fictional subtypes (for example Type I, II, and III) based on variability patterns, spectral evolution, and surrounding context, though there is no universal agreement across works.

In-world significance: Seletatavus is used to examine models of accretion physics, jet formation, and magnetohydrodynamic processes in a controlled but imaginative setting. Its apparent brightness and spectral features can be influenced by gravitational lensing, extinction, or local medium effects, providing a narrative device to discuss observational biases and methodological limits.

See also: Gravitational lensing, variable stars, standard candles, multiwavelength astronomy.