Astronomers
have predicted that a rouge star called Gliese 710 is coming straight towards
our Solar System rapidly, and now they have also worked out exactly when it
should reach our solar system. Gliese 710 is currently plunging through space
at almost 32,000 mph (51,499 km/h), but gladly it is almost 64 light-years
away.
have predicted that a rouge star called Gliese 710 is coming straight towards
our Solar System rapidly, and now they have also worked out exactly when it
should reach our solar system. Gliese 710 is currently plunging through space
at almost 32,000 mph (51,499 km/h), but gladly it is almost 64 light-years
away.
According to
a research paper published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, Gliese
710 is nearly half the size of our Sun, and is set to reach Earth in 1.35
million years. And when it reaches, the star could end up a only 77 light-days
away from Earth – one light-day being the equivalent of how far light travels
in one day, which is about 16 billion miles (26 billion kilometres), the
astronomers worked out.
a research paper published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, Gliese
710 is nearly half the size of our Sun, and is set to reach Earth in 1.35
million years. And when it reaches, the star could end up a only 77 light-days
away from Earth – one light-day being the equivalent of how far light travels
in one day, which is about 16 billion miles (26 billion kilometres), the
astronomers worked out.
As far as
astronomers know, Gliese 710 isn’t set to hit directly with Planet Earth, but
it will be zipping past through the Oort Cloud, a shell of trillions of icy
objects at the outermost spreads of our Solar System.
astronomers know, Gliese 710 isn’t set to hit directly with Planet Earth, but
it will be zipping past through the Oort Cloud, a shell of trillions of icy
objects at the outermost spreads of our Solar System.
Jedimaster/Wikimedia
This
speeding star could burst through the Oort Cloud and redirect these icy objects
and comets all around our Solar System. Astronomers
are pretty sure Any one of these is pretty likely to collide with Earth.
speeding star could burst through the Oort Cloud and redirect these icy objects
and comets all around our Solar System. Astronomers
are pretty sure Any one of these is pretty likely to collide with Earth.
The author
of the research paper, writes:
of the research paper, writes:
Gliese 710
will trigger an observable cometary shower with a mean density of approximately
10 comets per year, lasting for 3 to 4 million years,
will trigger an observable cometary shower with a mean density of approximately
10 comets per year, lasting for 3 to 4 million years,
Scientists
are also speculating that a related event of a rouge star passing through the
Oort cloud may have triggered the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs almost
65 million years ago. Nonetheless,
the Gliese 710 occurrence could make the dinosaur annihilation look relatively
insignificant.
are also speculating that a related event of a rouge star passing through the
Oort cloud may have triggered the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs almost
65 million years ago. Nonetheless,
the Gliese 710 occurrence could make the dinosaur annihilation look relatively
insignificant.
When it
passes through our solar system, it will be the brightest and fastest
noticeable object in the sky, and as the researchers speculate in the paper, it
will be the “strongest disrupting encounter in the future and history of
the Solar System”.
But again
this will happen after some million years so there is no need to panic. Enjoy
your day and keep looking up!!!
passes through our solar system, it will be the brightest and fastest
noticeable object in the sky, and as the researchers speculate in the paper, it
will be the “strongest disrupting encounter in the future and history of
the Solar System”.
But again
this will happen after some million years so there is no need to panic. Enjoy
your day and keep looking up!!!
