Latest news with #CoronaBorealis
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Will nova explosion 'star' shine over Ohio soon? Why NASA is excited about T Coronae Borealis
Astronomers have been patiently waiting for a "new star" to glow in the skies above Ohio and across the world. That "new star" will appear when the star T Coronae Borealis goes nova. It was originally expected to happen last year, but there are now signs that the explosion is nearing, according to NASA. T Coronae Borealis, a binary star system about 3,000 light years away, is usually far too dim to see with the naked eye. However, after the star goes nova, the system is expected to be as bright as the North Star, Polaris. The star goes nova every 80 years or so, and last exploded in 1946, per NASA. The star could go nova at any time in the next few months, according to the May 2025 skywatching guide produced by NASA. "Predicting exactly when novas or any sort of stellar outburst will happen is tricky," the guide states. It was originally expected to go nova between February and September 2024. However, excitement about the nova has grown since astronomers observed the star suddenly dim, per NASA, much as it did right before its previous nova. T Coronae Borealis is a binary star system made up of a red giant and a white dwarf. According to NASA, the white dwarf orbits the red giant closely enough that it continually grabs hydrogen from the bigger star. When the white dwarf has accumulated enough of the other star's hydrogen, it ignites a thermonuclear explosion, causing the nova. This happens every 80 years or so. T Coronae Borealis is located in the constellation Corona Borealis, or the Northern Crown, between the two bright stars Arcturus and Vega. Use the Big Dipper's handle to point you to the correct part of the sky. The star is normally far too faint to see with the unaided eye. But its nova will be as bright as the constellation's brightest star. Try looking for it on clear, dark nights before the nova happens, so you'll have a comparison when a new star suddenly becomes visible there. 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. Dr. Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist specializing in nova events at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said white dwarf stars aren't much larger than planet Earth but are much more massive. 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. 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 Chicago's 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. A supernova is the final, fiery explosion that can destroy a dying star. It can briefly outshine entire galaxies, writes 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. The nova should last roughly a week, Hounsell said, reaching peak brightness in its first few days before fading away. The following free astronomy apps can help you locate stars, planets, and constellations. SkyView Lite for iPhone | Google Play Star Walk 2 for iPhone | Google Play Star Chart for iPhone | Google Play for iPhone | Google Play This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Will T Coronae Borealis nova create 'new star' over Ohio? NASA is excited
Forbes
11-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
A New Star Will Soon Appear In The Sky — All About T Coronae Borealis
A drawing star map pointing T CrB in Corona Borealis with a red pencil Have you heard about the nova? Called T Coronae Borealis, also known as T CrB or the 'Blaze Star,' this very dim point of light in the eastern night sky after dark is set to dramatically brighten sometime in 2025. When it does, it will become visible to the naked eye for the first time since 1946 and for the last time until about 2105. A 'recurrent nova" — a star system that brightens briefly every 80 years or so — it's the only one of its kind that does so within the span of a human lifetime. However, unless you know what you're looking at and how to find it, you'll likely miss it. Here's everything you need to know n about T Coronae Borealis, in numbers: T Coronae Borealis is to stars — an expanding red giant star and a small, dense white dwarf star. As it expands, the former is spewing hydrogen onto the latter's surface. When the temperature of the white dwarf reaches around 18 million degrees Fahrenheit (about 10 million degrees Celsius), there's a thermonuclear explosion — and a new star in the sky for a few days. Crucially, the white dwarf is not destroyed, and the 80-year-long process begins again. That's how far away this event will take place. Although the star will seem to erupt in real-time, the explosion happened around 3,000 years ago. Traveling at light speed, it takes that long for T Coronae Borealis' light to reach us. It's the same for all stars — even the sun's light is eight minutes old. Everything you see has already happened — including the thermonuclear flash on T Coronae Borealis. That's how long it's been since the last eruption in 1946. Before that, it was 1866 — we have the records from previous generations of astronomers. Of course, the fact that it's 3,000 light-years distant means it's almost certainly undergone a further 37 thermonuclear explosions, the light of which is on its way to us. A red giant star and white dwarf orbit each other in this animation of a nova similar to T Coronae ... More Borealis. T T Coronae Borealis lies just outside Corona Borealis, a small, crown-shaped arc of seven stars whose name translates to Northern Crown. It's a small and little-known yet beautiful constellation in the Northern Hemisphere. The exact location of T Coronae Borealis is just outside the curve of stars, close to faint Epsilon Coronae Borealis. Find it now so you'll notice the sudden change when it does "go nova." To find Corona Borealis, start with orangish Arcturus in the constellation Boötes and Vega in Lyra — two of the five brightest stars in the entire sky — and look in between for the constellation Corona Borealis. Look east about an hour after dark, and you'll see it as a crescent. When it does flash, T Coronae Borealis will leap from +10 magnitude — which is beyond human sight — to +2 magnitude. That's about the same brightness as Polaris, the North Star, the 48th brightest star in the night sky. T Coronae Borealis will be visible to the naked eye for a few nights. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A 'new star' could appear in night skies for the first time in 80 years: What we know
A "new star" is expected to appear in night skies soon due to a distant nova explosion. Originally, the T Coronae Borealis star system, which is 3,000 light years away from Earth, was expected to become visible to the naked eye for the first time in roughly 80 years in 2024. This prediction never came to fruition. However, NASA rekindled excitement about the potential nova explosion to start off May 2025, mentioning changes in the system's behavior. Here's what we know about the potential "explosion" that could be coming to night skies around the world within a matter of months. Did T Coronae Borealis 'explode'? When will the nova explosion occur? Previously, many astronomers predicted T CrB would undergo a nova explosion between May and September of 2024. Obviously, this prediction turned out to be incorrect. In NASA's May 2025 skywatching guide, however, the nova was brought once again into the public eye. "Now, you may have heard about this months ago, as astronomers started keeping watch for the nova midway through 2024, but it hasn't happened yet," NASA's guide said. "Predicting exactly when novas or any sort of stellar outburst will happen is tricky, but excitement began growing when astronomers observed the star to dim suddenly, much as it did right before its previous nova in 1946." Despite these observations, however, NASA's guide was only able to say that the nova will likely happen "in the coming months." With 3,000 light-years between the star and Earth, predicting such a phenomenon can be tricky. What is a nova explosion? Are novas and supernovas the same? A nova explosion is different from a supernova explosion. National Geographic explained that supernovas are "core collapses," leading to the complete destruction of a star. This can only occur in stars about eight times the mass of our own sun. Novas like the one T CrB will undergo are surface explosions that fling matter into space without destroying the star. NASA said that T CrB is extra special, as it is a recurrent nova, undergoing regular (though only every 80 years) explosions. There are only five of these recurrent novas in our galaxy. T CrB is a binary system, meaning a solar system with two stars instead of the one star in systems like Earth's – the "explosion" isn't actually a single cosmic body exploding, but as National Geographic put it, "a celestial dance between two dying stars orbiting one another." What does a nova explosion look like? The T CrB star system is normally much too dim to see with the naked eye. Its normal magnitude is plus 10, but during the nova explosion event, it will jump to plus 2, a similar brightness to the North Star, Polaris. NASA said that at peak brightness, the nova should be visible to the naked eye for several days, and just over a week with binoculars, before it dims again. Sky chart showing constellation Corona Borealis with the location where nova "T CrB" is predicted to appear. The view depicts the constellation with the nova occurring, indicated by an arrow. How to see the nova explosion NASA explained how to view the nova once it becomes visible. The organization suggested becoming familiar with the constellation Corona Borealis, or the Northern Crown, which is a small, semicircular arc near constellations Bootes and Hercules. This is where the nova will be visible, appearing similar to a bright new "star." More: These 2 Western NC rivers were named among America's 11 most endangered historic places Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@ This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Nova explosion? Here's when we could see a 'new star in night skies
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘New star' may appear in the night sky after deep space explosion
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Astronomers are excitedly waiting for the arrival of a new light in the sky this year that appears once every 80 years. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shared on May 1 a list of important astronomical events to keep an eye out for in the days ahead. Among the highlights was a notice for an eagerly anticipated nova event that will add just a little more light to the sky soon. 27 News reached out to Solar System Ambassador Brenda Culbertson with the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) for an explanation on this special event and how people can spot it in the night sky. She said the light is expected to appear in the Corona Borealis, also known as the Northern Crown, morning constellation. 'T Coronae Borealis (T CrB for short) is a binary system, two stars orbiting a central point of gravity,' Culbertson said. 'One of the stars is a Red Giant, an older, larger, and relatively cooler star, and the other is a White Dwarf, a smaller (about the size of Earth), denser, and relatively hotter star. Gravity of the White Dwarf accumulates some of the gases from the Red Giant partner. As the gases from the Red Giant build up on the White Dwarf, pressure increases and causes a thermonuclear reaction, and an explosion occurs that blows the outer shell of the White Dwarf out into space. The explosion is called a nova. Only the outer shell of gases is blown off, and the star, itself, remains.' Big sunspot appears, what this means for Earth Culbertson said the explosive process can happen multiple times with the last recorded nova from this binary star system appearing in 1946. NASA also reports that documented outbursts from T CrB have been reported in 1866, 1787 and possibly even in 1217. Astronomers now expect the same event to occur again in the near future. NASA has likened the event to a 'new star' appearing in the night sky for casual observers. However, this nova will be a temporary brightening of a star system that will be visible for only a few nights. 'T CrB, also known as the Blaze Star, was expected to go nova in 2024, but we are still waiting for it to happen,' Culbertson said. 'It is not what is being called a new star, but one that exists and will brighten at some point. If it happens when we are watching, and we see it go nova, that will be a nice sight to see, for sure.' People should be able to view the nova with the unaided eye once the sun goes down. You can learn more about T CrB and the nova process by clicking here. What new Kansas laws go into effect on July 1, 2025? For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Record
05-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Record
How to see 'super rare naked eye star explosion' in Scotland before it disappears for 80 years
Scotland is famous for the Northern Lights but we are set to experience a very extremely unique starburst soon May brings many celestial events including a meteor shower only seen in Scotland once a year. And sometime in the next few months, astronomers predict a "new star" or nova explosion will become visible to the unaided eye. Astronomers have been waiting expectantly for light from a distant explosion to reach us here on Earth. An event called a nova is anticipated to occur sometime in the coming months - and since it's not predicted again for another 80 years, you might just want to join the watch for this super rare, naked eye stellar explosion in the sky. You may have heard about this months ago, as astronomers started keeping watch for the nova midway through 2024, but it hasn't happened yet. Scotland is spoiled when it comes to rare phenomenon like the Northern Lights. However, predicting exactly when novas or any sort of stellar outburst will happen here is tricky. Excitement began growing when astronomers observed the star to dim suddenly, much as it did right before its previous nova in 1946. When the nova finally does occur, it won't stay bright for long. It will likely flare in peak brightness for only a few days. Understanding where to see the starburst in Scots skies comes with understanding what is behind the star itself. Some 3,000 light years away is a binary star system called T Coronae Borealis, or 'T CrB.', NASA explains. It consists of a red giant star with a smaller white dwarf star orbiting closely around it. The giant's outer atmosphere is currently all puffed up, and the dwarf star is close enough that its gravity continually captures some of the giant's hydrogen. Around every 80 years, the white dwarf accumulates so much of the other star's hydrogen, that it ignites a thermonuclear explosion. And that's the nova. T Coronae Borealis is located in the constellation Corona Borealis, or the 'Northern Crown,' and it's normally far too faint to see with the unaided eye. But it's predicted the nova will be as bright as the constellation's brightest star. This is about as bright as the North Star, Polaris. You'll find Corona Borealis right in between the two bright stars Arcturus and Vega, and you can use the Big Dipper's handle to point you to the right part of the sky. The space agency recommends Scots try having a look for it on clear, dark nights before the nova, so you'll have a comparison when a new star suddenly becomes visible there. Meanwhile, if you're more interested in the planets and where they move throughout the month, we have you covered. In the morning sky, Venus and Saturn are the planets to look for in May. They begin the month appearing close together on the sky, and progressively pull farther apart as the month goes on. For several days in late May, early risers will enjoy a gathering of the Moon with Saturn and Venus in the eastern sky before dawn. Watch as the Moon passes the two planets while becoming an increasingly slimmer crescent. Finally, you'll find the Moon hanging between Venus and Saturn on May 23. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
