Miami, Florida – Every 80 years, the skies offer us a unique spectacle: a celestial explosion known as a nova that shines brighter than any other cosmic phenomenon. This extraordinary event occurs when a white dwarf star undergoes an eruption, increasing its luminosity by ten thousand times. This magnificent display can be observed with the naked eye from millions of miles away, and a new show is set to begin soon, captivating both NASA scientists and astronomers alike.
During a nova event, a white dwarf star draws in material from a nearby red giant star. When the heat and pressure reach a critical point, a thermonuclear explosion ensues, causing the white dwarf to appear much brighter in the sky. Despite the intense explosion, the star does not disintegrate, and once the eruption subsides, it returns to its original brightness. This dramatic event, known as a nova, can be visible to the naked eye for up to a week after it occurs, resembling a new star in the sky.
The upcoming nova is expected to take place in the Corona Borealis constellation, specifically originating from the star system known as T Coronae Borealis, also referred to as the Blaze Star or T CrB. Located approximately 3,000 light years away in the Northern Crown of the Milky Way, this binary star system comprises a white dwarf and an aging red giant. The white dwarf, a remnant of a deceased star, is about the size of Earth but shares the same mass as the sun. On the other hand, the red giant, nearing the end of its life cycle, sheds material into space, which is pulled in by the white dwarf, triggering a thermonuclear reaction and leading to a nova.
The last nova event from this star system occurred in 1946, continuing a cycle that has been observed for over 800 years. Dr. Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, highlighted the significance of this rare event in igniting curiosity and interest in astronomy among young people, fostering the next generation of scientists.
In preparation for the anticipated nova, NASA encourages observers to track the event and report it through social media and email, enabling early detection and data collection. Dr. Elizabeth Hayes, chief of the Astroparticle Physics Lab at NASA Goddard, emphasized the vital role of citizen astronomers in contributing to scientific findings by monitoring the nova’s progress from its initial rise to eruption.
Unlike a supernova, which represents a star’s final moments with a massive explosion, a nova involves two stars—a white dwarf and typically a red giant. The distinction between a nova and a supernova lies in the process and scale of the explosion, with novas requiring specific stellar conditions to occur. Other variations, such as hypernovas and kilonovas, present additional complexities and astronomical phenomena worth exploring.