{"id":793941,"date":"2025-02-27T09:03:03","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T14:03:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=793941"},"modified":"2025-02-27T09:03:03","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T14:03:03","slug":"is-t-coronae-borealis-about-to-light-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=793941","title":{"rendered":"Is T Coronae Borealis About to Light Up?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Late is better than never for the \u2018Blaze Star\u2019 T Coronae Borealis<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It was on track to be the top astronomical event for 2024\u2026 and here we are in 2025, still waiting. You might remember around this time last year, when a notice went out that T Coronae Borealis (\u2018T CrB\u2019) might brighten into naked eye visibility. Well, the bad news is, the \u2018Flare Star\u2019 is officially late to the celestial sky show\u2026 but the good news is, recent research definitely shows us that something <\/em>is definitely afoot.<\/p>\n

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The outburst occurs once every 80 years. First noticed by astronomer John Birmingham in 1866, T Coronae Borealis last brightened in February 1946. That\u2019s 80 years ago, this month. Located about 2,000 light-years distant on the Hercules\/Corona Borealis\/Serpens Caput constellation junction border, the star spends most of its time below +10th<\/sup> magnitude. Typically during outburst, the star flares and tops out at +2nd<\/sup> magnitude, rivaling the lucida of its host constellation, Alpha Coronae Borealis (Alphecca).<\/p>\n

Finding T Corona Borealis in the Sky <\/h2>\n

We\u2019re fortunate that T CrB currently rises in the east around local midnight. T CrB then rides high in the pre-dawn sky. Late November would be the worst <\/em>time for the nova to pop, when the Sun lies between us and the star. The situation only improves as early 2025 goes on, and the region moves into the evening sky.<\/p>\n

The constellation Corona Borealis and the location of the \u2018Blaze Star.\u2019 Credit: Stellarium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The coordinates for T CrB are:<\/p>\n

Declination: +25 degrees, 54\u2019 58\u201d<\/p>\n

Right Ascension: 15 Hours 59\u2019 30\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Blaze\"
Looking eastward in early March, two hours after local midnight. Credit: Stellarium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rare Recurrent Novae<\/h2>\n

T CrB and other recurrent novae are typically part of a two-star system, with a cool red giant star dumping material on a hot white dwarf companion. This accretion builds up to a runaway flash point, and a nova occurs.<\/p>\n

\"Chart\"
A chart of known recurrent novae. Adapted from The Backyard Astronomer\u2019s Deep-Sky Field Guide<\/em> by David Dickinson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Two recent notices caught our eye concerning T Coronae Borealis: one titled T CrB on the Verge of an Outburst: H-Alpha Profile Evolution and Accretion Activity<\/em> and A Sudden Increase of the Accretion Rate of T Coronae Borealis<\/em>. Both hint that we may soon see some action from the latent flare star.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy spectral analysis showed a considerable change in the strength of the H-alpha line profile, which could be considered an indicator of the possible eruption of T CrB in the near future. This change posibly resulted from a significant increase in the temperature and accretion rate,\u201d Gesesew Reta (S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences) told Universe Today<\/em>. \u201cHowever, this cannot serve as definitive confirmation of the expected eruption. Novae are inherently unpredictable, and a more detailed analysis, considering broader parameters, is needed for a more accurate prediction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"T
An artist\u2019s conception of T Corona Borealis in outburst. Credit: NASA\u2019s Visualization Studio\/Adriana Manrique Gutierrez\/Scott Wiessinger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What to expect in 2025 <\/h2>\n

First, I would manage expectations somewhat; while +2nd<\/sup> magnitude is bright enough to see with the naked eye, it\u2019s not set to be the \u201cBrightest Star\u2026. Ever!\u201d as touted around the web. We get naked eye galactic novae every decade or so, though recurrent novae are a rarity, with only about half a dozen known examples.<\/p>\n