Learn more about a rare event that can happen after a cosmic explosion.
According to astronomers, if two stars located at a distance of approximately 3,000 light-years were to dance in a cosmic show, their brightness would be so intense that it could be noticed with the naked eye over an extended period of time, informs Agerpres which quotes DPA/PA Media.
The rare burst event in the T Coronae Borealis system offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience, creating the illusion of a bright new star appearing in the night sky, which then disappears again for another 80 years.
Dr. Daniel Brown, associate professor of astronomy at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom, said this type of celestial event is called a nova, a phenomenon that consists of the rapid increase in brightness of a star.
The phenomenon can happen at any time
He said that it is not easy to predict when exactly the event will take place, but it could happen anytime between now and September this year. “We will have a surprise, having a so-called new star in the sky. T Coronae Borealis is not actually a single star, but a binary star, meaning two stars orbiting each other. What makes this pair special is that from time to time it increases in brightness enormously, becoming easily visible to us,” said Brown.
He said the more massive star of the two is a white dwarf, which “can pack about the same mass as our Sun into a volume as large as the Earth.”
Its companion, an aging red giant, has expanded and is constantly pouring matter towards the white dwarf. “Every 80 years, (the white dwarf) gathers enough material to ignite in a thermonuclear explosion, increasing its luminosity incredibly,” explained the professor.
“For T Coronae Borealis the time has come for another such explosion, whose brightness increases from an apparent magnitude (m) of 11 – almost visible with binoculars in a dark sky – to an astonishing (value of) 2m – comparable to of the stars of Ursa Major, easy to observe with the naked eye, even in conditions of light pollution”.
T Coronae Borealis will become the brightest star in the Corona Borealis constellation during this event, but will gradually fade after a few days.
