Orange Dwarf Star Set to Smash into The Solar System

technologyreview.com ^ | March 12, 2010

[Free ThinkerNY]

A new set of star velocity data indicates that Gliese 710 has an 86 percent chance of ploughing into the Solar System within the next 1.5 million years.

The Solar System is surrounded by thousands of stars, but until recently it wasn't at all clear where they were all heading.

In 1997, however, astronomers published the Hipparcos Catalogue giving detailed position and velocity measurements of some 100,000 stars in our neighbourhood, all gathered by the European Space Agency's Hipparcos spacecraft. It's fair to say that the Hipparcos data has revolutionised our understanding of the 'hood.

In particular, this data allowed astronomers to work out which stars we'd been closer to in the past and which we will meet in the future. It turns out that 156 stars fall into this category and that the Sun has a close encounter with another star (meaning an approach within 1 parsec) every 2 million years or so.

In 2007, however, the Hipparcos data was revised and other measurements of star velocities have since become available. How do these numbers change the figures?

Today, Vadim Bobylev at the Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory in St Petersburg gives us the answer. He's combined the Hipparcos data with several new databases and found an additional nine stars that have either had a close encounter with the Sun or are going to.

But he's also made a spectacular prediction. The original Hipparcos data showed that an orange dwarf star called Gliese 710 is heading our way and will arrive sometime within the next 1.5 million years.

[Hoodat]

Bush’s fault.

[davisfh]

"...an 86 percent chance of ploughing into the Solar System within the next 1.5 million years."

Dang!! Barely enough time to pull your head down between your legs and kiss it goodbye.

[70times7]

Assuming we make it past December 2012, that is...

[Salamander]

*Yawn*

We’re all gonna die.

[needs more cowbell, etc etc etc]

[Jet Jaguar]

BTTT

[Salamander]

Oops.

C&Ped in a hurry and you almost missed the end of the world as we know it.

[lmr]

an 86 percent chance of ploughing into the Solar System within the next 1.5 million years.

Brought to you by the cousins of those that gave you 'Global Warming.'

[Salamander]

Pffft.

You just wanna show off that star of yours.

:-P

[Beowulf9]

We’re all gonna die in 1.5 million years!!!!

[Chode]

[beckysueb]

Great. Something else to scare us.

[razorback-bert]

Rats, I have a hot date that night.

[Jet Jaguar]

LOL

[Hoodat]

[shibumi]

I'm cool with it, just as long as it's the planet Mongo, and I get to check out Princess Aura, up close and personal.

[Screaming_Gerbil]

Gliese 710

As the sky looking towards it looks to us now:

And in about 1.5 million years from now:

[willgolfforfood]

Whatever... as long as Al Gore doesn’t get rich or win a Nobel prize off this information. I’ve got Y10K to worry about between now and then, anyway.

[Salamander]

Beats me why y’all ain’t goin’ for *5* stars so’s ya can be generals....:)

“Commander Salamander”

[Salamander]

Don’t worry about it.

When an orange dwarf slams into our atmosphere, it’s gonna be a hot date for us ~all~....:)