Fiery star will ‘ignite’ in sky as NASA warns it’s ‘once every 80 years’
A RARE nova is expected to light up the night sky this year, according to astronomers.
The nova will erupt in the binary star system T Coronae Borealis (T CrB) and will be visible to the naked eye.
T CrB is located in the northern constellation Corona Borealis, or the Northern Crown, about 3,000 light-years from Earth.
The star system consists of a red giant star and a white dwarf that revolve around each other.
The red giant continuously feeds the white dwarf with its stellar fuel, hydrogen.
When enough hydrogen builds up on the white dwarf, it undergoes a thermonuclear explosion.
This causes the star to brighten dramatically and is what scientists call a nova.
About every 80 years, this system puts on a dazzling nova display, with the last outburst occurring in 1946.
Now astronomers predict that another eruption is imminent sometime between February and September 2024, NASA explains in a statement.
“This could be a unique viewing opportunity,” NASA officials said.
They added that the star system normally has a magnitude of +10, which is too faint to see with the naked eye.
During the event this will increase to magnitude +2, which is a similar brightness to the North Star, Polaris.
“Once the brightness reaches its peak, it should be visible to the naked eye for several days, and a little more than a week with binoculars, before dimming again, possibly for another 80 years,” NASA officials said.
OTHER STARGASING EVENTS IN 2024
For stargazers and amateur astronomers, 2024 promises to be a year of cosmic fireworks.
A total solar eclipse will be visible from North America on April 8, 2024.
The solar phenomenon will transcend Mexico, the United States and Canada.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the sun’s surface.
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is also expected to brighten the night sky on May 6.
It is one of only two meteor showers caused by dust and debris left in the inner solar system by Halley’s Comet. Living Science.