NASA officials say a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to see the light of a star that exploded 3,000 years ago will come this year.
T coronae borealis, also known as the “Flaming Star,” explodes approximately once every 79 years and is one of only 10 known repeating novae in the Milky Way.
“We’re very excited to be working with the Meteorite Environment Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama,” said Bill Cook, leader of the Meteorite Environment Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Said Fox News said this rare cosmic event is even more special than recent events solar eclipse.
“I’ve been to see solar eclipses several times and it’s one of nature’s most amazing sights,” he said.
“But frankly, there are two solar eclipses a year. And if there’s not one over the United States, I could travel to Egypt in 2027 to go see it. Stars You don’t see a lot of explosions. That’s what makes it unique.”
However, the schedule for future nova explosions is not very specific. All scientists know for now is that it will arrive in 2024.
“Unfortunately, just like with eclipses, we don’t know the timing,” Cook said. “But if that happens, it will be a reminder.”
The last time this star exploded was visible from Earth in 1946.
“Seeing a star explode is much rarer than a solar eclipse,” the astronomer said NPR. “So it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
In an interview with Fox, he explained the science behind the ball of light. He said the ball of light would be about as bright to the “naked eye” as Polaris, the North Star.
“A typical nova consists of a star, such as a red giant, which is a star larger than the Sun, and a white dwarf, which is a star about the same size as Earth,” Cook said. “And that red giant is ejecting material onto the surface of the white dwarf. They’re orbiting each other and very close together.”
Material dumped on the surface of a white dwarf becomes so hot that it causes a “thermonuclear runaway,” he explained.
“When that happens, the white dwarf blows all its material out into space and becomes very bright, hundreds of times brighter than before,” he continued.
“And if it’s close to us or relatively close to us, we’ll see a fresh start.” [sic] It appears in our skies. ”
What is especially interesting is that this explosion took place already at the end of the Bronze Age.
T Coronae Borealis is 3,000 light-years from Earth, so it will take thousands of years for any visible brightness from the explosion to reach the planet.
“You’ll see a new star suddenly appear there,” Cook said, adding, “It seems to come out of nowhere and will remain visible for about a week before it fades.”
According to astronomers, the phenomenon is “like Halley’s Comet, but most people don’t know much about it.”
“Harry captures all the press.”
Cook added that people would be able to see the light for “several days” before it disappears again, which will take another 79 years or so.
