A remarkable astronomical event may be approaching for Stargazers.
The star system, located 3,000 light-years away, is poised to go Nova. When it erupts, it will be visible from Earth.
T Coronae Borealis, also known as Blaze Star, erupts roughly once every 80 years and shines for about a week as a new star in the night sky.
“We anticipate that [T Coronae Borealis] LSU astronomer and Blaze Star expert Bradley Schaefer is here at any moment. I informed Annie Geneman at Hearst’s.
The term T Coronae Borealis, or “t crb,” refers to two celestial entities. One is a remnants of a dead star, referred to as a “white dwarf,” and the other is an old red giant that gradually sheds hydrogen due to the powerful gravitational force of its weakened companion. As stated by NASA.
The hydrogen accumulating around the red giant builds pressure and heat akin to a balloon inflating. Only once this balloon bursts can it trigger a thermonuclear explosion observable across the galaxy.
In the cosmos, a Flame Star radiates thousands of times its initial brightness, but from Earth, it appears as a new star in the sky, gleaming as brightly as the North Star, Polaris.
“It’s a rare occurrence and inspires many new astronomers,” remarked NASA astronomer Dr. Rebekah Hounsell. “It’s incredibly thrilling to witness this from such a close vantage point.”
Nevertheless, the Flame Star has faced some delays.
It was initially predicted to erupt in June of last year, but astronomers later revised that estimate to September.
Now, the event could occur this month.
If the timing is right, there’s a method to find it on your own.
First, locate the Northern Crown, a curved constellation to the west of Hercules.
Then, trace a straight line from the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere: Arcturus and Vega. This will guide you to the Hercules constellation and Corona Borealis, where a particularly bright new star may appear in the sky.
Unfortunately, NASA astrophysicist Mukai River Mukai mentioned that “upcoming novas are unpredictable,” adding that if researchers believe they have identified a pattern, it could “shift completely.”
