The star T Coronae Borealis, or simply T CrB, known as the Blazing Star, is about to shine brightly in the spring sky again
So get ready, because it could explode in an event called a “nova” at any moment!
This special star, located about 3,000 light-years away in the constellation Corona Borealis, is famous for its rare and impressive explosions.
Scientists thought it could explode between April and September 2024, but that didn’t happen.
That’s good news for skywatchers, because now, in March 2025, it will be easier to see at night, as the constellation where it is located will begin to appear after sunset.
The Blazing Star didn’t shine brightly this winter as expected – something it hasn’t done since 1946 – but now it’s returning to the night sky.
Since this type of explosion (called a recurrent nova) is so rare, it’s worth knowing where to find it in the sky so you don’t miss the show when it finally appears.
Where and when to look in March 2025?
In March, the constellation Corona Borealis will rise in the eastern sky about three hours after sunset.
Four hours after sunset, it will be clearly visible to those in the northern hemisphere.
That means you may have to stay up a little later, but it will be worth it to try to see T CrB shine brightly-if the explosion happens-before it disappears again for another 80 years.
With each passing month, it will rise two hours earlier, making it even easier to observe.
T CrB will be between two very bright stars: Vega, which appears in the northeast, and Arcturus, which appears in the east.
If you can’t find these stars right away, one tip is to first look for the constellation of the Chariot (or Ursa Major), which is easy to recognize by its “saucepan” shape.
Follow the curve of the “saucepan” handle to Arcturus, an orange star and the fourth brightest in the sky, in the constellation Boötes.
Then find Vega, a super bright blue-white star in the constellation Lyra, further to the northeast.
The constellation Corona Borealis looks like a delicate semicircle with seven stars and is located between Vega and Arcturus.
Within it, the “Flaming Star” will shine brighter than the others for a few days, appearing as an extra and very bright star, very close to a star called Epsilon CrB (the fifth brightest in the constellation).
How to find T CrB?
If you use astronomy apps or programs, such as Stellarium, look for T CrB in the catalog – most already have this star registered.
For those who have smart telescopes that don’t list T CrB (like the ZWO SeeStar S50), one tip is to aim at the galaxy IC4587, which is very close to it in Corona Borealis.
If you’re thinking about buying a telescope or binoculars to see the “Flaming Star”, look for guides with the best deals on binoculars and telescopes.
What will happen if it explodes?
When T CrB explodes as a nova, it won’t “light up the entire sky” as some newspapers exaggerate.
In fact, it will become much brighter, going from a faint glow (magnitude +10, almost invisible to the naked eye) to something very visible (magnitude +2, similar to the North Star).
So it’s good to already know where it is in the sky so you can find it quickly when that happens.
Why does T CrB explode?
T CrB is actually a system with two stars.
One of them is a white dwarf, and the other is a red giant.
Every 78 to 80 years, the white dwarf “steals” enough material from the red giant to cause a thermonuclear explosion.
When this happens, it becomes more than a thousand times brighter, giving the impression that a “new star” has appeared in the sky.
In 2023, it became dimmer, which led scientists to believe that the explosion was imminent.
Since it hasn’t happened yet, it seems that it is getting closer and closer.
This is one of the coolest events in the universe to observe, but it only lasts about a week.
So find T CrB in March and keep an eye out – this could be your chance to see something incredible!
Published in 03/03/2025 19h04
Text adapted by AI (ChatGPT / Gemini) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption. Information about DOI, author and institution can be found in the body of the article.
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