T Coronae Borealis, a dim star in the constellation Northern Crown, will erupt in a once-in-80-years nova event. The galactic explosion, visible with the naked eye, will be the first time since 1946, providing a special treat for sky observers.
The T Corona Borealis (T CrB) binary star system is noted for its periodic brightening, which occurs every 80 years or so. The last such incident was in 1946. As Franck Marchis, an astronomer at the SETI Institute and co-founder of Unistellar, has noted, “detailed observations of the star since September have shown variations that suggest the imminent arrival of this long-awaited explosion.” However, he also pointed out that “the study is still theoretical, so the conclusions remain uncertain.”
Located approximately 3,000 light-years from us, T Corona Borealis consists of two stars: a red giant that is cooling down and a white dwarf. The red giant is swelling and shedding material while it ages. The white dwarf, whose fuel is spent, slowly acquires this material from the red giant. After a while, this material collection ignites a thermonuclear explosion, which makes the star observable on Earth as its light intensifies abruptly.
Astronomers are forecasting that this nova will happen on Thursday, March 27, with the star being visible to the naked eye for several nights. It ought to be as radiant as the North Star, which is the 48th brightest star in the night sky.
News indicates that T CrB had eruptions in 1787, 1866, and 1946, following a normal cycle. The American Association of Variable Star Observers informed news that while the star’s brightness diminished in March and April 2023, it is still yet to have a nova in April 2024. This aligns with other cycles of celestial events, such as Halley’s comet, which approaches Earth every 76 years.
Dr. Hounsell, a NASA Goddard Space Flight Center assistant research scientist who studies nova events, described this as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’ that will invite young astronomers to witness a cosmic event in person, ‘ask their own questions, and collect their own data’.
