A Star May Explode This Week in a Once-in-a-Lifetime Event—Here's How to See It
This phenomenon last happened in 1946 and won't occur again for about another 80 years.
Once it reaches its peak brightness, T Coronae Borealis will be visible for several days to the naked eye.A star system located 3,000 light-years away from Earth may become visible to the naked eye this week—a phenomenon that only happens about once every 80 years.
T Coronae Borealis is a binary star system in the constellation Corona Borealis. Per the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), its magnitude is normally +10, which is too dim to see with the unaided eye. Per NASA, when the star explodes—an event known as a nova outburst—its magnitude will jump to +2, making it as bright as the North Star. The last time this happened was in 1946.
According to NASA, the star system consists of a white dwarf and red giant. The stars are close enough that, as the red giant becomes unstable and begins ejecting its outer layers, the white dwarf collects that matter onto its surface. The atmosphere of the white dwarf heats enough to cause a reaction that produces the nova we see from Earth.
While the exact day and time the nova outburst occurs is unknown, a paper published by the American Astronomical Society (AAS) estimates that T Coronae Borealis will explode on March 27, 2025. If the nova outburst doesn't happen this week, AAS notes that November 10, 2025, is also a possible date for this event.
Once its brightness peaks, T Coronae Borealis should be visible for several days to the naked eye and over a week with binoculars before dimming again, NASA estimates. While you wait, the space agency says to become familiar with the constellation Corona Borealis, also known as the Northern Crown, where the outburst will take place. It's a small, semicircular arc near Bootes and Hercules.
Related: 3 Full Supermoons Will Light Up the Night Sky in 2025—Here's How and When to See Them
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