If not for its path across the sky, the star Gliese 710 would
draw scant attention. It’s only about two-thirds as big and
heavy as the Sun, and only a few percent as bright. So from its
distance of about 65 light-years, it’s far too faint to see
without a telescope. And even with a telescope, it’s nothing
more than a tiny orange pinpoint. In about a million-and-a-half
years, though, Gliese 710 should be one of the brightest stars
in the night sky — about as bright as Antares, the orange
“heart” of Scorpius, which is low in the east as night falls. In
fact, Gliese 710 is off to the left of Antares, in the
constellation Serpens. Gliese 710 is moving toward the Sun.
There’s a good chance it’ll pass about one light-year from the
Sun in 1.4 million years. That’s less than a quarter of the
distance to our nearest neighbor today. And there’s a tiny
chance that it could pass within one light-week. Even at such
close range, the star wouldn’t have much direct effect on Earth
— it’s too small and faint. But it could hav