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Nearby Star Forecast To Skirt Solar System

Posted by Soulskill on from the we're-doomed dept.

PipianJ writes "A recent preprint posted on arXiv by Vadim Bobylev presents some startling new numbers about a future close pass of one of our stellar neighbors. Based on studies of the Hipparcos catalog, Bobylev suggests that the nearby orange dwarf Gliese 710 has an 86% chance of skirting the outer bounds of the Solar System and the hypothesized Oort Cloud in the next 1.5 million years. As the Oort Cloud is thought to be the source of many long-period comets, the gravitational effects of Gliese's passing could send a shower of comets into the inner Solar System, threatening Earth. This news about Gliese 710 isn't exactly new, but it's one of the first times the probability of this near-miss has been quantified."

16 of 135 comments (clear)

  1. FSM SAVE US! by Heytunk · · Score: 4, Funny

    XENU SAVE US!

    1. Re:FSM SAVE US! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Hey! Who removed the above post?

  2. Spooky Chant by Fieryphoenix · · Score: 2, Funny

    In the year 1,502,000....

    1. Re:Spooky Chant by Dthief · · Score: 3, Funny

      In the year 1,502,000....

      *The year 1,502,010

      --
      www.RacquetUp.org - Helping Detroit Youth
    2. Re:Spooky Chant by stwrtpj · · Score: 3, Funny

      In the year 1,502,000....

      War was beginning

      --
      Karma: Frotzed (mostly due to the Frobozz Magic Karma Company)
  3. Re:In 1.5 Million Years... by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 4, Funny

    I knew that there was something fishy about those bonds that Goldman Sachs sold me . . . with a 2 million year maturity!

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  4. Don't worry . . . by StefanJ · · Score: 5, Funny

    From what I learned in my Texas astronomy class the comets will harmlessly splash against the crystal spheres that support the planets and sun.

    1. Re:Don't worry . . . by thechao · · Score: 5, Funny

      I spent years in Texas schools, and we were always told it was a giant brass armature. When did God put in the bling?

  5. We don't have time to waste, people by straponego · · Score: 4, Funny

    We must arm NOW! That star *is* a weapon of mass destruction! We don't want the smoking gun to be a black hole! In this vial I have a sample of Hydrogen-- of the EXACT SAME MATERIAL detected in Gliese 710!

  6. Re:In 1.5 Million Years... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's GODDAMNED, you waist of spase.

  7. Re:In 1.5 Million Years... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Your both wrong. You dont capitolize every dang letter in words just for the hell of them. Beleive me, I seen alot of people make that mistake. Its like their stupid terrists or gone nuculear or something.

    Regrads

    GWB

  8. I know who will cover it! by GPLDAN · · Score: 3, Funny

    Larry King. He'll still be alive.

  9. Re:OH NOES! by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    Its in 1.5 million years. We will have lazors

    Only because the sharks will be running the planet by then.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  10. Maybe ... by PPH · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... it'll capture Pluto. Not that we'd care one way or the other.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  11. Finally, Planet X! by heidaro · · Score: 2, Funny

    I always knew these idiots were right. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIDlqR1jnKA The reptile people are just hiding it from us.

  12. Re:Can't resist... by awshidahak · · Score: 2, Funny

    Somebody set us up the star.