A rare astronomical event known as a "zombie star" is expected to light up the night sky shortly. This phenomenon involves T Coronae Borealis, also called the Blaze Star, which may soon explode after years of inactivity.
Blaze Star's Eruption Promises a Dazzling Light Show
According to NASA, the impending eruption could be bright enough to illuminate a binary star system that has not been seen in 80 years. The Blaze Star is about 3,000 light-years away from Earth and is part of a binary system that includes a white dwarf and a red giant.
The white dwarf is a dead star that draws materials, including hydrogen, from the nearby red giant, similar to a cosmic vampire. This process leads to a buildup of pressure and heat, which could trigger a spectacular explosion, called a nova, visible to the naked eye.
Dr. Elizabeth Hays, a chief scientist at NASA's Goddard Astroparticle Physics Laboratory, stated that this eruption will be closely watched because it is happening relatively nearby.
She explained, "Typically, nova events are so faint and far away that it's hard to identify where the erupting energy is concentrated. This one will be really close, with a lot of eyes on it."
The Blaze Star's Potential Eruption
The Blaze Star was first recorded in the autumn of 1217 by a German priest named Burchard. He noted seeing "a faint star that for a time shone with great light." The star last erupted in 1946, and experts believe its current behavior is similar to what was observed before the previous explosion. If the Blaze Star erupts, it is expected to be bright enough to be seen for about a week.
Once the explosion occurs, it will transform the star from an object too faint to see without a telescope into a brilliant light in the night sky. Dr. Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist at NASA, described this event as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity that could inspire new astronomers.
To locate the Blaze Star, skywatchers should look for the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere, Arcturus and Vega. By tracing a line from one star to the other, they can find the Corona Borealis constellation, which hosts the Blaze Star, according to Interesting Engineering.
