Could a new 'star' shine above Indiana soon? Why NASA is excited again about T Coronae Borealis
Astronomers have been waiting patiently for months for light from a distant explosion to reach Earth, and the wait might finally pay off, according to NASA.
Scientists alerted the public last year about T Coronae Borealis, a binary star system that could go nova "any day now," experts said. Light from the nova's stellar explosion will make it seem as if a new star is shining in the night sky, though it won't stick around for long.
While stargazers may have been disappointed the nova didn't shine bright in 2024, excitement has been growing recently, according to a May skywatching guide issued by NASA, after astronomers noticed T Coronae Borealis (AKA, T-Cor) suddenly dimmed, which is what happened before its previous nova in 1946.
Here's what we know about T Coronae Borealis, dubbed the "Blaze Star," and why this nova is considered a " once-in-a-lifetime" event.
Story continues after photo gallery.
When can people see a rare nova explosion in 2025?
Roughly anytime now, experts said, though the exact date isn't known. According to an article written last year by NASA, researchers believed T Coronae Borealis could go nova starting in September 2024.
"We hope that it happens any day now," said Dr. Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist specializing in nova events at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in an earlier article. Hounsell cautioned that the exact date is impossible to pin down. "The timing of when it does happen is an estimate."
Astronomers predicted the nova might appear in 2024. What's changed?
Astronomers with the Planetary Society last year predicted a 70% chance T-Cor would go nova by September 2024. Obviously, it didn't happen. What's changed, according to NASA, is that astronomers have observed T-Cor dimming suddenly, which is a sign it might go nova sometime in the coming months.
How bright will the nova be?
The explosion caused by the nova will be so massive you'll be able to look up and see it in the night sky without a telescope, experts said, so it should be easy spot. Hounsell said it will shine about as brightly as the north star.
"It's going to be very, very obvious," Hounsell said. "The star is only 3,000 light years away in the northern crown constellation, so it's going to be similar to Polaris, which is extremely bright."
That's roughly 17 quadrillion miles away. Even so, scientists earlier with the Planetary Society say the nova explosion will likely be the brightest one witnessed on Earth since 1975.
What is a nova?
The word "nova" comes from the Latin word meaning "new." In astronomical terms, it can seem like there's a new star in the heavens even though that star might be very old and at the end stages of its life. During a nova event, explains NASA, energy explodes from a white dwarf star.
Hounsell said white dwarf stars aren't much larger in size than planet Earth. Usually they're too dim to see at night, but when a nova happens, the sudden explosion can make the star shine brightly enough to be viewed with the naked eye from trillions of miles away.
What causes a star to go nova?
Stars don't always play nice with each other, say experts. Most stars are bound by gravity to one or more companion stars, and things can get interesting — or violent — if these stars get too close.
Sometimes when a small white dwarf star orbits a regular star, it can siphon off the larger star's energy. That's because a white dwarf star has about the same mass as Earth's sun, Hounsell said. Its gravity is extremely powerful — not as strong as a black hole, according to the Adler Planetarium, but roughly 100,000 to 300,000 times the gravity on Earth.
"So material is being pulled away from the companion star by the gravity of the white dwarf," Hounsell said. "This material builds up in layers onto the white dwarf's surface and the layers get really, really hot, but the material can't expand."
Eventually, the pressure and heat trigger a massive thermonuclear explosion, Hounsell said, which is called a nova.
Story continues after photo gallery.
What's the difference between a nova and a supernova?
A supernova is the final, fiery explosion that can destroy a dying star. It can briefly outshine entire galaxies, writes Space.com, and radiate more energy than our sun will produce in its entire lifetime. But while supernovas occur only once, a nova can happen again and again.
After a nova explosion, the dwarf star remains intact and the cycle triggering another explosion starts over, which NASA says can take tens, hundreds or even thousands of years.
In T Coronae Borealis' case, the cycle repeats roughly once every 80 years, which is why most people will likely see it only once in their lifetime.
When did T Coronae Borealis last go nova?
The last nova from T Coronae Borealis happened in February 1946. It also erupted 80 years before that in 1866. One astronomer described the event, saying, "In colour, the star appeared nearly white with a bluish tinge," according to documents preserved by IOPscience.
The first recorded sighting of the "Blaze star" was more than 800 years ago, according to NASA. An abbot named Burchard in Ursberg, Germany, noted in 1217 that he saw, "a faint star that for a time shone with great light."
Where you can look to see T Coronae Borealis nova explosion
T Coronae Borealis can be found in the Northern Crown constellation, writes EarthSky, which you can find easily enough by searching for the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere.
Look for the Big Dipper and follow its handle pointing toward the star Arcturus. Next, find Vega, which is part of the Summer Triangle. By drawing a straight line from Arcturus and Vega, you'll find the constellation Hercules and the Corona Borealis, a horseshoe-shaped curve of stars.
Just a little bit below the Corona Borealis, experts say, is where the Blaze Star should appear.
Need help finding stars, planets and constellations? Try these free astronomy apps
The following free astronomy apps can help you locate stars, planets, and constellations.
How long will the nova last?
The nova should last roughly a week, Hounsell said, reaching peak brightness in its first few days before fading away.
How often do stars go nova?
There are only five known stars in the entire galaxy that have nova events, writes NASA, but scientists believe the Milky Way experiences roughly between 30-60 nova explosions per year. These faraway stars are so distant they can't be seen with the naked eye because the light is obscured by gas and dust.
What happens if T Coronae Borealis doesn't go nova this year, or at all?
Then that would be interesting, said Hounsell.
"We know roughly from historical records it's supposed to be around every 80 years or so, but this is unpredictable science," she said. "If the nova doesn't go off in the timeframe we expect it to, then that might mean something different happened, leading us to figure out more information, which is really cool. We'll learn new things. That's the point of science."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mysterious Object Hurtling Toward Us From Beyond Solar System Appears to Be Emitting Its Own Light, Scientists Find
Last month, astronomers made an exciting discovery, observing an interstellar object — only the third ever observed — hurtling toward the center of the solar system. The object, dubbed 3I/ATLAS, has caught the attention of Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, who has a long track record of making controversial predictions about previous interstellar objects being relics from an extraterrestrial civilization. While there's been a growing consensus among astronomers that the latest object is a comet, Loeb has continued to entertain the idea that it may have been sent to us by an intelligent species from outside of the solar system — and he's far from backing down. In a blog post over the weekend, Loeb pointed to observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, which showed a "glow of light, likely from a coma, ahead of the motion of 3I/ATLAS towards the Sun." A coma is the hazy and luminous cloud that surrounds the nucleus of a comet. However, there's "no evidence for a bright cometary tail in the opposite direction," he wrote, with scientists suggesting it was evidence that dust was evaporating from the object's Sun-facing side. The observations led Loeb and his colleagues to an intriguing, albeit far-fetched possibility: is the mysterious space object generating "its own light?" After deliberations with his colleague and Harvard astrophysicist Eric Keto, Loeb suggested that the "simplest interpretation" of 3I/ATLAS' observed "steep brightness profile" is that its nucleus "produces most of the light." That would also mean that its actual size is much smaller than currently thought, roughly in line with the size of the first two interstellar objects we've observed, 'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. The Harvard astronomer suggested two possibilities: either 3I/ATLAS is naturally emitting radiation because its a "rare fragment from the core of a nearby supernova that is rich in radioactive material" — or it's a "spacecraft powered by nuclear energy, and the dust emitted from its frontal surface might be from dirt that accumulated on its surface during its interstellar travel." Loeb deemed the former explanation "highly unlikely," and the latter as requiring "better evidence to be viable." Loeb previously argued that the object's unusual trajectory — which includes suspiciously close flybys of both Earth and Jupiter — and its lack of a visible tail both undermine the theory that it's a comet. Intriguingly, 3I/ATLAS will come within spitting distance — at least in astronomical terms — of Mars this fall, giving us a tantalizing opportunity to have a first-hand look. Loeb suggested using NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to point its scientific instruments at the rare visitor. Best of all, scientists at the space agency appear to be game. "This morning, I encouraged the HiRISE team to use their camera during the first week of October 2025 in order to gather new data on 3I/ATLAS," Loeb wrote. "They responded favorably." More on the object: Astronomer Suggests New Interstellar Object Could be Advanced Aliens Testing Our Intelligence
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Astronomer Suggests New Interstellar Object Could be Advanced Aliens Testing Our Intelligence
A strange object hurdling through our solar system from interstellar space may, according to one of academia's most controversial astronomers, have been sent by aliens to see how smart we are. The newly-discovered object, dubbed 3I/ATLAS, is only the third interstellar object of its kind to have been observed visiting our solar system. While most astronomers, including those at NASA, believe it to be a comet, Harvard's resident alien-hunter Avi Loeb has repeatedly suggested that it was sent to us by an extraterrestrial civilization — and may even function as something of a "Turing Test" for humanity. In a new blog post, Loeb — who has become infamous in scientific circles for suggesting 'Oumuamua, the first interstellar object ever detected back in 2017, was an alien spacecraft — laid out his latest theory about 3I/ATLAS. "It is well known to any interstellar traveler that there are plenty of icy rocks in planetary systems," Loeb wrote. "These constitute the leftover building blocks from the construction process of the planets." "For that reason, an alien might assume that any intelligent observer on Earth must be familiar with space rocks as they impact the Earth on a regular basis," he continued, before advising: "Not so fast." Though his case for 3I/ATLAS being a Turing Test sent by alien intelligence is pretty far-fetched, his insistence that his fellow scientists lack even human smarts is well-argued. Citing "terrestrial comet expert" Chris Lintott of Oxford, who insisted last month that Loeb's alien-origin theory is "nonsense on stilts, and is an insult to the exciting work going on to understand this object," the Harvard alien hunter suggested that any extraterrestrial being who encountered such dismissals could "justifiably conclude that humans failed the test and do not deserve a high status in the class of intelligent civilizations within the Milky-Way galaxy." Ouch. As the Harvard astronomer has contended, the scientific establishment at large may have gotten it wrong by immediately declaring 3I/ATLAS to be a comet. He pointed out new Hubble Space Telescope images of the object to back up his claim, which show a "glow" ahead of it, but "no prominent cometary tail behind it, as is the case for common comets." Loeb also pointed out that spectroscopic measurements do not indicate that there's any "molecular or atomic gas accompanying the glow around 3I/ATLAS," further undermining the theory that it's a comet. To Loeb, there is one predominant alternative explanation about the origins of 3I/ATLAS if it's not a comet: that it's "a technological object which targets the inner solar system," and even perfectly times its "arrival time" for "a close encounter with Mars, Venus and Jupiter." Obviously, in a Universe as vast and unknowable as our own, there are other, non-alien explanations for all those anomalous properties seen in 3I/ATLAS. To test his alien-origin theory out, Loeb has another, even more provocative proposal: sending a Morse code message to 3I/ATLAS, and seeing if anything (or anyone) responds. When speaking to reporters, the astronomer said that his ideal communiqué would be "Hello, welcome to our neighborhood. Peace!" As easy as it may be to dismiss Loeb's constant stream of strange alien claims, he does offer a fascinating alternate look at space rocks, and his notion that "3I/ATLAS is a blind date of interstellar proportions" is indeed pretty romantic to consider. "As an optimist, I prefer to approach it with a positive mindset," Loeb wrote of the interstellar object. "How we follow the initial greeting with alien intelligence would depend on the data we gather." More on 3I/ATLAS: Congressperson Urges NASA to Send Its Jupiter Probe Chasing in Pursuit of the Weird Visitor Coming From Interstellar Space
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Youthful Immune System in Old Age Can Apparently Be Harmful
Immune defenses that function in old age as they did in youth are considered desirable. However, a recent study shows that a youthful immune system in older age can also cause harm. Follow the FITBOOK channel on WhatsApp now! As part of the natural aging process, the human immune system weakens over the years.1 One reason for increased susceptibility to infections in old age is that fewer new T-cells are produced, as the thymus—the maturation organ for T-cells—shrinks. T-cells recognize and destroy harmful cells in the body and activate other parts of the immune system. Because the immune system weakens with age, people with an active immune system seem to have an advantage. But: This supposed immune youthfulness can apparently also be harmful. Also interesting: Certain diets could cripple the immune system Details of the Study A research team from the U.S. Mayo Clinic found, after evaluating health records of about 22 million people, that many autoimmune diseases only appear in older age. At the same time, it is known that general immune defense weakens with age.2 From this paradox, the researchers concluded that the immune system in older age is not just still active but sometimes possibly too active. In autoimmune diseases, a malfunction of the immune system is known to occur, leading the body to attack its own tissue. Researchers Found Immune Cells in Diseased Tissue of Giant Cell Arteritis Patients In the next step, the scientists examined aortic sections from more than 100 patients over 50 years old, who are being treated for giant cell arteritis at the U.S. Mayo Clinic. This is a rarer, inflammatory autoimmune disease of the large and medium arteries, often affecting the cranial arteries and aorta. The Mayo Clinic is globally renowned for its expertise in complex diseases, including giant cell arteritis (GCA).3 The researchers found an increased presence of specialized immune cells, known as stem cell-like T-cells, in the diseased tissue of the patients. To recap: The previously mentioned T-cells are normally responsible for fighting infections as part of the immune system. These special T-cells behave similarly to T-cells in young organisms, as they can renew themselves and continuously produce new defense cells. However, in the presence of giant cell arteritis, this seemingly beneficial effect appears to be misguided. Instead of protecting the body from invaders, these cells continuously supply new T-cells that attack the blood vessels of those affected. Their efficiency thus causes significant damage. How a Youthful Immune System Attacks Its Own Cells As people age, more new, unusual protein forms accumulate in the body, the study authors write: so-called neoantigens. The immune system has not yet developed tolerance to these proteins. 'This is likely to inevitably lead to an increase in autoimmune diseases in old age,' the study continues. Normally, the immune system prevents these neoantigens from attacking its own cells. However, with age, these control mechanisms can be disrupted—a possible explanation for why autoimmune diseases occur more frequently in old age. The study's results suggest that autoimmune diseases in old age are not solely a result of weaker defenses. In summary, a combination of 'youthful' T-cells and an increasing number of new antigens seems to lead to the immune system being unable to stop certain inflammations in old age. Part of the immune system remains overly efficient, and this can be harmful to the aging body. Significance of the Study and Limitations The observations could offer new perspectives for medical practice—at least if the findings are confirmed in further studies. The research team plans to develop diagnostic tests that could potentially predict autoimmune diseases later in life based on the high activity of immune stem cells in currently healthy individuals. For study author Dr. Jörg Goronzy, these findings are already significant. 'Contrary to popular belief, an immune system that ages with the body does have advantages,' he explains in a press release.3 He suggests that moderate aging of the immune system can be protective, as it dampens the response to one's own cells. It should be noted that the study is based on existing studies. No new experiments were conducted; rather, existing data were interpreted. This limitation may slightly affect the reliability of the results. Additionally, only tissue from giant cell arteritis patients was analyzed. Whether the observations can be applied to other autoimmune pathologies remains unclear—likewise, how the specific, stem cell-like T-cells that are beneficial for tissue repair differ from those that contribute to autoimmune pathology in older patients. FITBOOK has reached out to the authors with these and other questions. A response is still pending. The post Youthful Immune System in Old Age Can Apparently Be Harmful appeared first on FITBOOK.
