T Coronae Borealis, nicknamed the “Blaze Star,” is gearing up for a spectacular brightening event. This recurrent nova is about 3,000 light-years away in the constellation Corona Borealis. Experts believe it could erupt in a thermonuclear explosion between April and September 2024. For stargazers, this is exciting news. Since last September, T CrB hasn’t been visible until the early morning hours, but that is starting to change.
As the constellation Corona Borealis rises after dark, it’s the perfect time to learn where to spot the Blaze Star. Finding its location now in the night sky will make it easier to be wowed when it finally shines brightly again.
In March 2025, Corona Borealis will start rising in the east about three hours after sunset. By four hours after sunset, it will be easily seen. While it might require some late-night sky watching, this could be your chance to see T CrB shine before it fades into obscurity for many years to come. Each month, it will rise two hours earlier, soon becoming an easy target for nighttime viewing.
T CrB will appear between two of the brightest stars: Vega and Arcturus. Vega rises in the northeast, while Arcturus appears in the east. If you’re unsure where to start, locate the Big Dipper first. Follow the handle’s arc to Arcturus, a bright orange star in the Boötes constellation. Then turn to find Vega, a shining blue-white star in the Lyra constellation.
Corona Borealis itself is a beautiful semicircle made up of seven stars and will sit between these two bright stars. When T CrB’s brightening happens, it will outshine its neighbors, becoming a remarkable sight close to Epsilon CrB, the fifth brightest star in the constellation.
If you’re using a telescope or telescope app to find T CrB, many astronomy programs, like Stellarium, include it in their catalogs. If your telescope doesn’t recognize it, look for IC4587, an elliptical galaxy nearby. For those wanting the best viewing experience, consider checking out guides for the best binoculars and telescopes.
Knowing where T CrB is located may be vital as it won’t announce its brightening like a dramatic night sky event; it will jump from about magnitude +10 to around +2, similar to Polaris, the North Star. Familiarizing yourself with its position ahead of time will help you catch this rare event.
So, what exactly is the Blaze Star? T CrB consists of two stars. Every 78 to 80 years, the white dwarf in this binary system gathers enough material from its companion red giant to trigger an explosive event. This explosion can make the star shine more than 1,000 times brighter, fooling observers into thinking a new star has appeared in the sky.
While 2023 saw T CrB dim, leaving some speculation about an upcoming nova, the lack of an eruption means it could happen very soon. This remarkable stellar phenomenon is expected to last only about a week once it occurs, making it crucial to keep an eye on T CrB as March approaches.
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