“Blaze Star” set for nova explosion

A star located 3,000 light-years from Earth is predicted to become visible
to the naked eye on March 27 – a once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity
caused by a nova burst that only occurs roughly every 80 years

WHAT CAUSES IT?
One of only five recurring nova* in
our galaxy, T Coronae Borealis
(T CrB) is binary system
where white dwarf
collects matter
from unstable
red giant –
eventually
setting off
thermonuclear
detonation

WHERE IS IT?
Mar 27, 2025
Boötes
Corona Borealis
Hercules
T CrB
Northern Hemisphere
22:00GMT
EAST

WHITE
DWARF
What stars
become after
exhausting
nuclear fuel,
leaving only
hot core –
stage that
follows being
red giant in
star’s life cycle

RED GIANT
Star that’s past its peak
and has spent core’s
hydrogen fuel

HOW BRIGHT WILL IT BE?
1944 1945 1946 1947
3 magnitude
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Lower
numbers
are brighter

1946:
Previous
nova

Material
being
drawn
from red
giant onto
white dwarf

*Temporary brightening of star before it fades again – not Supernova, which occurs when massive star
runs out of fuel and explodes at end of life. Picture: NASA/CXC/M Weiss. Sources: Sky at Night
Magazine (BBC), Forbes, NASA, Sky & Telescope, Star Walk 2 (Vito Technology)

© GRAPHIC NEWS