Gliese 710

Gliese 710, also known as HIP 89825, is an orange-colored star located in the constellation Serpens Cauda. Scientists have discovered that this star is expected to pass very close to our Sun in about 1.29 million years from now. At its closest point, it will be about one-fourth the distance from the Sun to the closest star we have, Proxima Centauri.

When Gliese 710 comes near the Sun, it could shine as brightly as some of the brightest planets we can see in our night sky. Its movement across the sky would also be quite noticeable. Over the course of many years, people might see this star seem to move faster than most stars we observe today.

This prediction is based on data collected by the Gaia spacecraft. Even though this event will happen millions of years in the future, it gives scientists valuable information about how stars move and change over very long periods of time.

Description

Gliese 710 is a small star located about 62.3 light-years from Earth in the constellation Serpens. It is a cool, orange star that shines dimly and is too faint to see without a telescope.

The star is about 57% the size of the Sun and has 57% of the Sun's mass. It creates energy by combining hydrogen atoms in its core, a process called thermonuclear fusion. Scientists think it might change slightly in brightness, but no planets have been found around it yet.

Computing and details of the closest approach

Scientists have studied how close Gliese 710 might get to our Sun in the future. They believe there is a good chance it will pass through a distant area called the Oort cloud surrounding our solar system.

The exact distance Gliese 710 will come to the Sun is tricky to figure out because it depends on the star’s current position and speed. Over the years, predictions have changed. Some early guesses said it might come as close as about 0.3 parsecs, but newer, more detailed studies suggest it could come even closer—around 0.05 parsecs or about 10,520 astronomical units from the Sun. This closest approach is expected to happen in about 1.29 million years.

In popular culture

In 2022, the band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard named the final track on their album Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms, and Lava after Gliese 710. The song was written in a special musical style called Locrian mode.