A spectacular cosmic event is on the horizon: a rare nova explosion so bright that it will be visible to the naked eye.
Astronomers have been closely monitoring a small constellation, eagerly awaiting the eruption of a nearby binary star system. The long wait may finally be over—recent calculations suggest the nova could explode as soon as Thursday, March 27.
The Blaze Star’s Explosive Cycle
T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), also known as the Blaze Star, is a binary system located 3,000 light-years from Earth. It undergoes recurring nova eruptions approximately every 79 years, and the next one is imminent.
For the past decade, the Blaze Star has been exhibiting behavior eerily similar to the lead-up to its last eruption nearly 80 years ago, according to NASA. The window for this celestial event opened in February 2024 and remains active. Enthusiasts have been watching the night sky, anticipating the moment the star ignites in a brilliant flash.
A study published in Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society predicts that the nova is most likely to erupt on March 27, 2025. However, if the explosion does not occur on this date, astronomer Jean Schneider of the Paris Observatory has identified two alternative possibilities: November 10, 2025, and June 25, 2026.
The Science Behind the Explosion
T CrB is a binary star system consisting of a white dwarf and a red giant. The red giant, slightly more massive than our Sun, orbits the white dwarf every 227 days at a distance comparable to that between the Sun and Venus.
The white dwarf exerts an intense gravitational pull, slowly stripping hydrogen from its companion. This stolen material forms an accretion disk, which builds up pressure and heat over time. When the conditions reach a critical point, a thermonuclear explosion ignites, ejecting accumulated material into space in a spectacular nova event.
Unlike a supernova, which destroys a star, this nova leaves the white dwarf intact, allowing the cycle to repeat every few decades. The first recorded eruption of T CrB occurred over 800 years ago, and its periodic bursts continue to captivate astronomers.
What to Expect in the Night Sky
Once the explosion occurs, it will shine brightly for several days, appearing as a new star in the sky before fading away.
Currently, T CrB is too faint to see without a telescope, at a magnitude of +10. However, after the nova, it will brighten to +2 magnitude, making it almost as luminous as the North Star.
The event will be visible from the Northern Hemisphere, within the Corona Borealis constellation, which forms an arc in the night sky. If you want to witness this rare celestial show, be sure to look up—this won’t happen again for nearly 80 years.
