Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
For the first time in 80 years, T Coronae Borealis—the Blaze Star—may soon erupt in a nova visible without a telescope, dazzling skywatchers around the globe.
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This celestial ticking time bomb is a white dwarf and red giant locked in a cosmic dance, where stolen mass triggers a thermonuclear surface blast.
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Blaze Star last erupted in 1866 and 1946. Astronomers expect the next detonation could hit as early as March 27, 2025, or later this year.
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Like in 1946, pre-eruption flickers and dimming patterns have returned—nature’s dramatic drumroll before the cosmic curtain rises.
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Located in the Northern Crown constellation, the nova will burst just beside Alphecca, lighting up the small, elegant arc with a second bright “jewel.”
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The light of the eruption began its journey 3,000 years ago—during Earth’s Bronze Age—just now arriving to ignite our night sky.
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Normally invisible, the Blaze Star will brighten from magnitude 10 to 2 in hours—becoming one of the brightest stars in that part of the sky.
Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab
This awe-inspiring event will last only a few days. A clear sky, good timing, and a northern view may be your only ticket to catch it.
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Astronomers urge enthusiasts to learn the sky now. Binoculars help—but even your eyes alone can witness this once-in-a-lifetime explosion.