The Most Dangerous Star (Known)

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Astronomy, Earth & Space Science, Cosmology, Nature of Science, History of Science, Models

When Eta Car explodes, becoming a supernova "in only a few million years...it may bathe the earth in dangerous gamma rays" (my bold). This means that it is a close neighbor - a mere ten million light years away. 

This Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) shows a new visualization, based on data from three different views and explains what has gone on in the past as well as what is ahead for this binary star. While this end is nigh, I hope may, in bold above provides some comfort.

On the other hand it's use is characteristic of scientists who do not practice certainty; they deal instead with evidence, probability, models, research,data, etc., when making statements which is fully warranted here.