How to view T Coronae Borealis: A spectacular celestial event

Expatriates and locals in Europe, get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime event that will light up the night sky. T Coronae Borealis, a star located 3,000 light-years from Earth, is said to be preparing for a dramatic explosion that hasn’t occurred for nearly 80 years.

It’s bound to be a visual treat for stargazers across the Northern Hemisphere, including parts of Europe.

What is T Coronae Borealis?

T Coronae Borealis, commonly known as the Blaze Star, is a binary star system. The system is made up of two stars: a white dwarf, which is a small, super-dense remnant of a dead star about the size of Earth but as heavy as the sun, and a red giant, an older star that is slowly losing its hydrogen. The white dwarf pulls hydrogen from the red giant because of its strong gravity.

As the hydrogen piles up on the surface of the white dwarf, the pressure and heat build until it causes a massive thermonuclear explosion. This explosion blasts away the accumulated material. For T Coronae Borealis, these explosions happen roughly every 80 years. The result is a bright star that dramatically increases in brightness, becoming visible to the naked eye.

While nova events like this are rare, T Coronae Borealis last erupted in 1946, making this upcoming explosion a highly anticipated cosmic event.

How to spot T Coronae Borealis

T Coronae Borealis is part of the Northern Crown, a constellation located to the west of Hercules. For those who are into stargazing, to locate it, look for a straight line between two of the brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere – Arcturus and Vega. Once the explosion occurs, the star should be visible to the naked eye for up to a week, so you’ll have several nights to take in the spectacular sight.

Countries in the Northern Hemisphere, including the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy, are all prime spots for viewing the Blaze Star. The Indian Express also notes that stargazers in the US, Canada, and Mexico, as well as parts of Asia such as India, China, and Japan, will have an excellent view. For those closer to the equator, however, the visibility might be limited.

When exactly will the T Coronae Borealis be visible?

The exact timing of the explosion remains uncertain, but experts are keeping a close watch and previous reports suggested September. When it does erupt, the event will unfold rapidly, potentially over the course of just a few days.