Among the known stars, Proxima Centauri has been the closest star to the Sun for about 32,000 years and will be so for about another 25,000 years, after which Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B will alternate approximately every 79.91 years as the closest star to the Sun. In 2001, J. García-Sánchez "et al." predicted that Proxima Centauri will make its closest approach to the Sun in approximately 26,700 years, coming within . A 2010 study by V. V. Bobylev predicted a closest approach distance of in about 27,400 years, followed by a 2014 study by C. A. L. Bailer-Jones predicting a perihelion approach of in roughly 26,710 years. Proxima Centauri is orbiting through the Milky Way at a distance from the Galactic Centre that varies from , with an orbital eccentricity of 0.07.