82 Eridani

82 Eridani is located 19.8 light years from here.  The jury is still out on whether it has a companion star or is a singleton like our sun.  Assuming the latter, it’s a G5V yellow dwarf, and estimates of its metallicity vary wildly from 29% to 100% of Sol’s.  Assuming the lower estimates are closer to correct, this may mean it’s a star that’s much older than Sol and is less likely to have planets.  As well, it’s travelling through space at a higher velocity than most of the other local stars, another clue that it may be an elderly “Population II” star.  Still, a 2008 study says it may be only 6 billion years old, so it may not be Pop II after all.