London, United Kingdom – In a rare celestial event set to unfold in the T Coronae Borealis star system located about 3,000 light years away, a massive nuclear explosion is expected to create a brilliant new “star” visible to the naked eye. This spectacular phenomenon, occurring only once every 80 years, will illuminate the night sky for a few days before fading away.
The upcoming nuclear explosion is the result of a unique cosmic dance between two stars in a binary star system. Within the T Coronae Borealis system, a dense white dwarf star and a massive red giant star orbit each other. Over time, the red giant has been expanding, transferring its material to the white dwarf, leading to the buildup of energy that ultimately culminates in a powerful explosion.
Dr. Daniel Brown, an associate professor in astronomy at Nottingham Trent University, explains that such events, known as novae, involve a sudden increase in a star’s brightness due to a thermonuclear explosion triggered by the accumulation of material on the white dwarf. For T Coronae Borealis, this explosion will result in a significant rise in brightness from 11mag to 2mag, making it easily visible to the naked eye even in light-polluted skies.
During the nova event, T Coronae Borealis will shine as the brightest star in the Corona Borealis constellation before gradually dimming once more. While the precise timing of the explosion is challenging to predict, it could occur anytime between now and September. The constellation is currently observable in the UK, rising in the North East just after sunset and reaching its highest altitude in the South at 65 degrees above the horizon around 3 am, making it an ideal viewing opportunity.
Stargazers can locate the Corona Borealis constellation by tracing the handle of the Plough downward towards the star Arcturus, the brightest point in the Bootes constellation, with Coronae Borealis forming a distinctive U-shape to the left of Bootes. This celestial event offers an exciting opportunity for astronomers and skywatchers to witness a rare and mesmerizing display of cosmic energy in the night sky.