Gliese 710

Gliese 710 is a star in the constellation Serpens Cauda with an apparent visual magnitude of 9.69. It has a stellar classification of K7 Vk, which means it is a main sequence star that is generating energy through the thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen at its core. (The suffix 'k' indicates that the spectrum shows absorption lines from interstellar matter.) The mass of this star is about 60% of the Sun's mass and it has an estimated 67% of the Sun's radius. It is a suspected variable star that may vary in magnitude from 9.65–9.69.

This star is currently about 63.8 light-years (19.6 parsecs) from Earth, but its proper motion, distance, and radial velocity indicate that it will approach within a very small distance—perhaps under one light year—from the Sun within 1.4 million years, based on past and current Hipparcos data. At closest approach it will be a first-magnitude star about as bright as Antares. The proper motion of Gliese 710 is very small for its distance, meaning it is traveling nearly directly in our line of sight; compare for example with Arcturus.

In a time interval of ±10 million years from the present, Gliese 710 is the star whose combination of mass and close approach distance will cause the greatest gravitational perturbation of the Solar System.

Read more about Gliese 710:  Computing and Details of The Closest Approach