Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Representative pic/NASA
T Coronae Borealis, the Blaze Star, is nearing a rare thermonuclear eruption. If it brightens as predicted, it will be visible to the naked eye for the first time since 1946.
Representative pic
This nova only erupts about every 80 years. If it flares between now and September, skywatchers will witness a celestial explosion not seen since World War II.
Representative pic
In March 2025, the Blaze Star rises about three hours after sunset. As months pass, it will become easier to spot—but if you miss it, you’ll wait another 80 years.
Credit: NASA
T CrB failed to brighten in winter, raising hopes that the explosion is still coming. If it ignites soon, it will outshine the surrounding stars for a few unforgettable nights.
Credit: M. Garlick/University of Warwick/ESO
To locate T CrB, use the Big Dipper’s handle to find Arcturus in the east, then look for Vega in the northeast. The Blaze Star sits right between them in Corona Borealis.
Representative pic
For a brief period, T CrB will rival the brightest stars before fading back into obscurity. This may be your only chance to see a nova with the naked eye in your lifetime.
The later in the year it erupts, the easier it will be to see. If it doesn’t explode soon, observers will have a better nighttime window by late spring or summer.
This isn’t just any nova—T CrB is a recurrent nova, meaning it’s already erupted before. Scientists are eager to study this rare repeat explosion in real time.
If T CrB doesn’t ignite this year, predictions may have been off—meaning astronomers will have to wait decades for another chance. The universe is watching… are you?