The Gliese 710 Close Encounter | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

"The night sky remains relatively unchanged in a human lifetime, but in geologic time, stars like Algol and Gliese 710 have the potential to disrupt our solar system and impact the appearance of the night sky."

Key Insights

• 🌃 The night sky remains relatively constant over a human lifetime, but in geologic time, the galaxy is constantly changing due to stars' movements.
• 🤩 Algol's close encounter with our solar system 7.3 million years ago would have made it the brightest star, rivaling Jupiter and Mars.
• 😚 In approximately 1.35 million years, Gliese 710's close encounter with our solar system could disturb the Oort cloud and increase the number of visible comets passing through the inner solar system.
• 💀 Gliese 710 poses no immediate danger, but the potential impact event from increased comet activity could be significant.
• ⌛ Colonizing Gliese 710 is a possibility, but maintaining a connection with the colony over time would be challenging due to the vast distances involved.
• 💀 With advancement in technology, deflecting comets becomes more feasible, reducing the potential danger of future encounters.
• 👻 The study of celestial events and potential impacts allows us to better understand the universe and potentially mitigate any future threats.

Transcript

Over the course of a single human lifetime the night sky does not change much at all. Except for the motions of the planets and the occasional comet or rare guest star such as the coming Boom Star, the night sky will look the same from the day you were born to the day you die. But in the sense of geologic time, the galaxy is a roiling ever-changing... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Algol's close encounter with our solar system affect the night sky?

Algol passing close to our sun 7.3 million years ago would have made it the brightest star in the night sky, rivaling Jupiter and Mars. While not as bright as Venus or the Moon, it would have dominated the late-night sky.

Q: Will Gliese 710's close encounter with our solar system have any dangerous consequences?

Gliese 710, a star currently 63.8 light-years away, poses no danger. However, when it approaches in about 1.35 million years, it could disturb our Oort cloud and potentially unleash a high number of comets, which could pose a threat to Earth.

Q: How many visible comets per year could be expected during the Gliese 710 encounter?

Estimates suggest that during the Gliese 710 encounter, the number of visible comets passing through the inner solar system could increase to as many as 10 per year. However, the dangerousness of these comets is uncertain, with some models predicting a minimal increase in cratering rate.

Q: Is there a possibility of colonizing Gliese 710?

Yes, there is a possibility of colonizing Gliese 710, as it is a massive source of free energy. Building a dyson sphere or swarm around the star could serve as a second human stellar colony. However, maintaining a connection with this colony over geologic time scales would be challenging.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Over a person's lifetime, the night sky does not change significantly, except for planetary motion and rare events like comets. However, in geologic time, stars passing by our solar system can disrupt the Oort cloud and increase comet activity.

• Algol, a multiple star system, passed close to our sun 7.3 million years ago, potentially affecting the appearance of the night sky. Algol would have been the brightest proper star, rivaling Jupiter and Mars in magnitude.

• In about 1.35 million years, Gliese 710, a star with a high likelihood of passing through our Oort cloud, will perturb it and potentially lead to an increase in visible comets entering the inner solar system, impacting Earth.