Where's the ‘New Star’? Astronomers Await Explosive Nova in Night Sky

In a rare cosmic event that has both astronomers and stargazers excited, a star 3,000 light-years away is expected to erupt into a spectacular nova. The star in question, known as T Coronae Borealis (T Cor Bor), is located in the Corona Borealis constellation. Once a vibrant star, T Cor Bor is now a white dwarf, a stellar remnant that has drawn attention due to its imminent explosion. Experts predict that when the event occurs, it will be visible to the naked eye and may even rival the brightness of Polaris, the North Star.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity

This will be the second time in almost a century that T Cor Bor explodes in a nova. Its last eruption occurred in 1946, and with a recurrence period of roughly 80 years, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the phenomenon.

“We know it's going to go off — it's very obvious,” said Edward Sion, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Villanova University. T Cor Bor belongs to an elite group of only ten recurrent novas discovered so far in the Milky Way galaxy. Recurrent novas, unlike typical novas, erupt multiple times during their lifespans, making them particularly interesting to scientists studying stellar evolution and the life cycles of stars.

Feeding on a Neighboring Red Giant

The current activity of T Cor Bor is attributed to its interaction with a neighboring red giant star. As the white dwarf feeds on the material from the red giant, it reaches a critical point where the accumulated matter causes the star to explode in a nova. Recently, astronomers observed a tell-tale dip in the brightness of T Cor Bor, which mirrors the pattern seen before its last eruption in 1946. This decrease in brightness suggests the explosion could be imminent, and astronomers are eagerly monitoring the star for further signs.

NASA's Role in Capturing the Event

NASA and other space agencies have already devoted time to observing T Cor Bor using a variety of ground- and space-based telescopes. These observations are critical to better understanding the processes involved in nova explosions. “We’ll observe the nova event at its peak and through its decline, as the visible energy of the outburst fades,” said astrophysicist Hounsell, highlighting the importance of capturing every phase of the event.

NASA’s Fermi gamma-ray space telescope is among the key instruments being used to monitor the star. The telescope is trained on T Cor Bor every day, tracking the gamma rays emitted from the stellar system. When the explosion occurs, scientists expect to see a sharp rise in gamma rays, providing clues about the temperature of the material ejected and the speed at which it leaves the white dwarf. Studying these gamma-ray spikes and their relation to the brightness of the star will offer valuable insights into how quickly the explosion progresses and how shock waves spread through space.

Citizen Scientists Play a Critical Role

Dr. Elizabeth Hays, chief of the Astroparticle Physics Laboratory at NASA Goddard, emphasized the importance of both professional and amateur astronomers in observing the event. “Citizen scientists and space enthusiasts are always looking for those strong, bright signals that identify nova events and other phenomena,” Hays said. She added that these contributions from amateur stargazers can help create a global network of observers, quickly alerting the professional astronomy community when the nova event occurs.

“Using social media and email, they’ll send out instant alerts, and the flag goes up. We’re counting on that global community interaction again with T CrB,” Hays explained.

A Chance to Unlock Nova Mysteries

For astrophysics researchers, the impending nova of T Cor Bor presents a rare chance to deepen their understanding of stellar explosions. Nova events are generally too distant and faint to study in detail, but T Cor Bor’s relative proximity offers a unique opportunity to investigate how stars devour surrounding material and later explode. The data collected will help refine models of stellar behavior and provide new insights into the lifecycle of stars.

As the night sky prepares to welcome this dazzling display, scientists and stargazers alike await the moment when T Cor Bor finally erupts, offering a breathtaking and scientifically valuable spectacle.