A celestial spectacle is set to dazzle stargazers this summer, as NASA has predicted the rare occurrence of a stellar explosion visible to the naked eye. The event is expected to take place sometime between now and September, CBS News reported. Known as T Coronae Borealis or the "Blaze Star," this event, situated 3,000 light years away, features a white dwarf—a compact remnant of a deceased star about the size of Earth. Despite its small size, the starburst boasts a mass comparable to our own Sun, according to NASA.
Also in the mix is an ''ancient red giant slowly being stripped of hydrogen by the relentless gravitational pull of its hungry neighbour,'' NASA described.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime event that will create a lot of new astronomers out there, giving young people a cosmic event they can observe for themselves, ask their questions, and collect their data. It'll fuel the next generation of scientists," said Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
When enough hydrogen from a red giant accumulates on the surface of a white dwarf, it triggers a massive thermonuclear explosion, hurling the gathered material into space in a blinding flash. This phenomenon, known as a nova, differs from a supernova, which destroys dying stars rather than preserving them intact like a nova. Supernovae are also significantly brighter, sometimes billions of times more luminous than a nova.
Notably, the Blaze Star undergoes this recurring event approximately every 80 years on average and can repeat for hundreds of thousands of years. This event is particularly significant given its relative proximity to Earth.
"There are a few recurrent novae with very short cycles, but typically, we don't often see a repeated outburst in a human lifetime, and rarely one so relatively close to our system," noted Dr Hounsell.
The exact date of this celestial display is currently unknown, but NASA anticipates it will occur sometime this month. The event is expected to be visible to the naked eye for approximately a week, offering a memorable glimpse into the cosmic fireworks of our galaxy.
