Phoenix, Arizona – A rare astronomical event is set to unfold in the night sky within the next five months, offering amateur astronomers an extraordinary opportunity to witness a massive explosion in the constellation of Corona Borealis.
Every 80 years, a binary star system located 3,000 light years away erupts in a spectacular display of light and energy. The two stars, a red giant and a white dwarf, engage in a deadly dance that culminates in a runaway nuclear explosion, creating a new star bright enough to be visible with the naked eye for a few days.
Only occurring in about 10 locations in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, recurrent novas like T Coronae Borealis provide scientists like Sumner Starrfield, an astronomer at Arizona State University, with valuable insights into the life cycle of stars. Starrfield, who has been studying the phenomenon since the 1960s, is eagerly anticipating the upcoming outburst and is working on a scientific paper predicting its outcome.
The red giant in the binary system has expanded dramatically, nearing the end of its life, while the white dwarf remains a dense remnant of a former star. The close proximity and size difference between the two stars create conditions for the buildup of matter on the white dwarf’s surface, triggering a thermonuclear reaction that leads to a massive explosion.
As astronomers prepare to observe the event using advanced technology like the James Webb space telescope, sky gazers around the world are encouraged to look towards the constellation of Corona Borealis to witness this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. With the excitement building for this cosmic phenomenon, the upcoming months promise to be a thrilling time for astronomy enthusiasts.