How and When to Catch a Glimpse of the New Star Emerging in the Night Sky After Nearly 80 Years
The Blaze Star, also known as T Coronae Borealis, is anticipated to be visible in the night sky after nearly 80 years
Blaze Star
A rare celestial event is approaching, set to captivate skywatchers. The Blaze Star, also known as T Coronae Borealis, is anticipated to become visible in the night sky after nearly 80 years. Last observed in 1946, this star will shine brightly once more before fading away for another eight decades.
The reemergence of the Blaze Star is attributed to a dead star, located 3,000 light-years from Earth, reigniting in a spectacular explosion. This nova will only be visible for a few days. Dr. Rebekah Hounsell, a nova events expert at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, remarked, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime event that will inspire many new astronomers, offering people a chance to witness a cosmic occurrence firsthand, ask their own questions, and collect their own data."
First recorded in 1217 by Burchard from Ursberg in Germany as "a faint star that for a time shone with great light," the Blaze Star can be located by drawing a line from the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere, Arcturus and Vega, towards the Northern Crown constellation.
Dr. Elizabeth Hays, chief of the Astroparticle Physics Laboratory at NASA Goddard, emphasised the event's significance, stating, "Typically, nova events are so faint and distant that it's challenging to pinpoint where the erupting energy is concentrated. This one will be much closer, with many people observing it, which should help us gather valuable data about its structure and processes."
According to NASA, here’s how you can spot this new star:
The Northern Crown is a horseshoe-shaped curve of stars located west of the Hercules constellation, best viewed on clear nights. To identify it, locate the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere—Arcturus and Vega—and draw a straight line between them, leading to Hercules and the Corona Borealis.
The outburst will be brief, visible to the naked eye for just under a week, but Hounsell is confident it will be a remarkable sight. Additionally, October will bring another notable astronomical event when a "comet of the century" passes by Earth for the first time in 80,000 years.
