An artist's concept of the binary star system known as T Coronae Borealis, in which a white dwarf star will burst with bright light after siphoning material from its larger red giant star companion.A nova outburst visible to the naked eye is expected to decorate the night sky this year, offering a rare skywatching opportunity.
The outburst will be visible in the constellation Corona Borealis, also known as the Northern Crown, which forms a semicircle of stars. The outburst is expected to occur between February and September 2024 and appear as bright as the North Star in our night sky for no longer than a week before fading again, NASA officials said in"This could be a once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity as the nova outburst only occurs about every 80 years," NASA officials said in the statement.
The explosive stellar pair consists of a white dwarf — a relatively small, dense stellar remnant — and a largerin the late stages of stellar evolution, meaning its outer atmosphere is inflated and tenuous. The gravitationally-bound stars are close enough that, as the red giant grows unstable from its increasing temperature and pressure, it ejects its outer layers onto the white dwarf.