* Definition of "Star": There's no universally agreed-upon definition of what constitutes a "star." Do we include brown dwarfs, which are too small to sustain hydrogen fusion? Do we include white dwarfs, which are the remnants of dead stars?
* Incomplete Catalogues: While astronomers have identified many stars within 50 light-years, there are likely some we haven't yet discovered.
* Distance Uncertainties: Our measurements of stellar distances aren't perfect. There's some uncertainty in these measurements, meaning a star near the 50 light-year boundary might be just inside or outside.
However, we can give you a rough estimate. Current catalogues list around 1,000 stars within 50 light-years of Earth.
It's important to remember that this number will likely increase as our knowledge of the cosmos improves.
