{"id":56281,"date":"2024-03-18T08:32:12","date_gmt":"2024-03-18T08:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/1ce2c832-0d11-4802-a89d-4f634f72b3ff"},"modified":"2024-03-18T09:32:31","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T09:32:31","slug":"t-coronae-borealis-nova-event-guide-and-how-to-prepare","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/t-coronae-borealis-nova-event-guide-and-how-to-prepare\/","title":{"rendered":"T Coronae Borealis nova event guide and how to prepare"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Iain Todd\n <\/p>

Published: Monday, 18 March 2024 at 08:32 AM<\/p>

\n\n

A star system 3,000 lightyears away could soon become visible to the naked eye in an event that will see its apparent brightness increase by 5 times.<\/p>

T Coronae Borealis, also known as T CrB, last brightened in 1946, and astronomers have predicted it could brighten again between now and September 2024.<\/p>

This brightening event is known as a ‘nova’, which means ‘new star’ in Latin, so-called because it describes how a previously dim star can suddenly reach prominent naked-eye brightness in the sky.<\/p>

What the T Coronae Borealis nova will look like<\/strong><\/h2>

Star system T Coronae Borealis normally shines at a brightness of magnitude<\/a> 10, which is the measurement astronomers use to describe the relative brightness of one celestial object (i.e. how bright its appears from Earth) compared to others.<\/p>

On the magnitude scale, the higher the number, the dimmer the object. Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky<\/a>, has a magnitude of -1.46, for example.<\/p>

The full Moon has a magnitude of about -13.<\/p>

\"The
The currently unseen star system T Coronae Borealis could become as bright as Polaris during the nova event. Credit: Paul Spencer<\/figcaption><\/figure>

T Coronae Borealis is expected to jump to magnitude 2 during the nova event, which would make it similar in brightness to the North Star, Polaris<\/a>.<\/p>

It could be visible to the naked eye for several days and potentially visible for over a week through binoculars.<\/p>

It will then dim again and could remain so for another 80 years, making this a potential once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event.<\/p>

How to see the T Coronae Borealis nova<\/strong><\/h2>
\"Chart
Chart showing the location of the constellation Corona Borealis, the location of the T Coronae Borealis nova event. Credit: Stellarium<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Keep an eye on astronomy outlets and follow @NASAUniverse<\/a> on Twitter over the coming weeks and months for news of the brightening T Coronae Borealis nova event.<\/p>

The nova will appear in the constellation Corona Borealis, which can be quite a tricky constellation to spot.<\/p>

It appears as a small semicircle near the constellations Bo\u00f6tes<\/a> and Hercules<\/a>.<\/p>

Bo\u00f6tes can be found by locating the Plough star pattern<\/a> in the sky. Follow the ‘handle’ of the Plough away from the asterism and you’ll arrive at Bo\u00f6tes.<\/p>

Then look to the left of Bo\u00f6tes and you’ll see Corona Borealis.<\/p>

You can use an astronomy and stargazing app<\/a> to help you locate the constellation, too.<\/p>

\"Chart
Chart showing the exact location of star T Coronae Borealis, expected to go nova some time soon. Click to expand. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Start observing Corona Borealis now and get familiar with its position in the sky. Then when the nova appears, you’ll be ready to spot it.<\/p>

If you are an astrophotographer, you could begin a project to photograph the Corona Borealis constellation regularly over the coming months, then you’ll have a record of the nova’s appearance and changing brightness over time.<\/p>

What is a nova?<\/strong><\/h2>
\"Artist's
Artist’s impression of a white dwarf drawing material away from its red giant partner. Credit: NASA\/CXC\/M.Weiss<\/figcaption><\/figure>

A nova is not the same as a supernova.<\/p>

A supernova<\/a> occurs when a massive star explodes at the end of its life, having run out of fuel.<\/p>

A nova, on the other hand, is the temporary brightening of a star before it fades again.<\/p>

T Coronae Borealis is a binary star<\/a> system, meaning it consists of two stars orbiting each other.<\/p>

T Coronae Borealis consists of a white dwarf<\/a> and a red giant. A white dwarf is the dense remnant of a star that has used up all its fuel.<\/p>

As the red giant begins to increase in temperature and shed its outer layers into space, the dense white dwarf companion pulls in that stellar material.<\/p>

This causes the white dwarf to heat up, producing the increased brightness that we see as a nova from Earth.<\/p>

The T Coronae Borealis nova event could be a wonderful highlight of the 2024 astronomy calendar.<\/p>

If you manage to observe or photograph the T Coronae Borealis nova, let us know by emailing us at contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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