Astronomers are eagerly awaiting the appearance of a “new star” in the night sky between now and September. This is a rare celestial event. According to NASA, this spectacular phenomenon has been preparing to happen for years, and man has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness it… live.

“It is a unique event that will ‘spawn’ many new astronomers, giving young people a cosmic event to observe for themselves, ask their own questions and collect their own data,” said Dr. Rebekah Hounsell, Nova event researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “It will inspire the next generation of scientists.”

What is a Nova star

This long-awaited luminosity, called a Nova, will take place in the Corona Borealis constellation of our Milky Way Galaxy, located between the constellations Boos and Hercules. Unlike a supernova, which results from the explosion and death of a massive star, a nova is a sudden, short burst from a white dwarf star. The white dwarf remains intact, releasing material in a cycle that can last thousands of years.

“There are a few Novae, which occur repeatedly and go through short cycles, but typically, we don’t often see a repeated explosion in a human lifetime, and rarely so relatively close to our own system,” Hounsell explained. “It’s incredibly exciting to have this front-row seat.”

The Star of Flame: T Coronae Borealis

T Coronae Borealis, also known as the “Star of Flame” is a binary system in the constellation Corona Borealis (Northern Halo), consisting of a white dwarf star and an aging red giant. Red giants form when stars exhaust their supply of hydrogen for nuclear fusion and begin to die. Our sun will eventually become a red giant in about 5 to 6 billion years, expanding and possibly evaporating the inner planets of our solar system.

Every 80 years or so, T Coronae Borealis undergoes a major outburst. The stars are close enough to interact violently, with the red giant shedding layers of material that accumulate on the white dwarf star. This transfer of material heats the white dwarf star’s atmosphere until an “uncontrolled thermonuclear reaction” occurs leading to the creation of a nova.

Historical Observations

A nova from an explosion of T Coronae Borealis was first recorded in 1217 by Burchard, abbot of Ursberg, Germany. He observed a “faint star which for some time shone with a bright light.” The last explosion occurred in 1946, and astronomers are closely monitoring the star system again.

“Most novae happen unexpectedly, without warning,” said William J. Cooke, head of NASA’s Meteorite Environment Office. “However, T Coronae Borealis is one of 10 recurring novae in the galaxy. Since the last outburst in 1946, we know that the star will dim for just over a year before rapidly increasing in brightness. T Coronae Borealis began to fade in March of last year, so researchers expect it to go nova between now and September. But the uncertainty as to when that will happen is several months away.”

Observing the Sky

Located 3,000 light-years from Earth, T Coronae Borealis is usually too faint to be seen with the naked eye. However, during the Nova, it is expected to reach a brightness similar to the Pole Star. This event will create the illusion of a new star in the sky, visible for a few days without equipment and for just over a week with binoculars before disappearing again for another 80 years.

Nova will appear in an arc between the constellations Bootis and Hercules, visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The Northern Halo is an arc of stars west of the constellation Hercules. To find it, locate the bright stars Arcturus and Vega, and follow a straight line from one to the other, which will lead you to Hercules and the North Stephanus.