Supernova Alert: Witness a Star Explode This Week—Find Out How!

For those who have ever wished to witness a starburst in the heavens, your chance is coming up. T Coronae Borealis, a binary star system located about 3,000 light-years from Earth, is set to display a visible explosion. Remarkably, you can observe this celestial event without any specialized gear, although having some would certainly enhance the experience.

Known by its intriguing alias, the “Blaze Star,” T Coronae Borealis is no stranger to spectacular displays, as it has burst into brilliance multiple times before. This recurrent nova, a type of star known for repeated explosions, last erupted approximately 80 years ago and is predicted to do so again very soon.

Astronomers have pinpointed the next expected eruption to occur on Thursday, March 27, based on the latest calculations by Jean Schneider, an astronomer at the Paris Observatory.

Witness a Rare Stellar Phenomenon This Week—Here’s How

It might seem odd that Schneider could predict such a specific date for the nova’s eruption. Initially, he had a broader timeframe starting in February 2024 with no definite end. However, through detailed analysis of the star system’s orbital dynamics, Schneider determined that the explosions are linked to the stars’ orbital period around each other, which happens every 128 orbits, with each orbit lasting about 227 days. This pattern led him to conclude that March 27 is the likely date for the next big show.

If the Blaze Star doesn’t erupt on March 27, then mark your calendars for November 10, 2025, and again for June 25, 2026. These are the next dates when the explosion is expected to occur—well, more or less. Given the vast distances and ancient light involved, predicting these events with absolute precision is tricky.

The system, fondly known as Blaze Star among enthusiasts, comprises a white dwarf and a red giant. The white dwarf, a dense remnant of a deceased star, exerts a strong gravitational pull on its larger companion, the red giant. This interaction causes the red giant to lose material, forming a disk of dust and gas around the white dwarf. The accumulated material eventually heats up and leads to a dramatic explosion, flinging debris into space.

Unlike a supernova, which completely destroys the star, the nova eruption in T CrB does not obliterate the white dwarf. Instead, the star dims after the explosion only to gather strength for another spectacle in the future.

Should you look up at the sky on the nights of March 27, November 10, or June 25, you might spot a newly bright star gleaming in the lower region of the Corona Borealis constellation. This event will be visible as an exceptional, bright point in the sky.

Avid stargazers might already know that the Corona Borealis constellation is nestled between Hercules and Bootes, adding to the thrill of spotting this rare celestial event.