T Coronae Borealis, also known as the "Blaze Star," is a recurrent nova set to go off in the constellation Corona Borealis, marking its first eruption since 1946. This phenomenon, occurring approximately every 80 years, involves a sudden increase in brightness due to an explosion on the surface of a white dwarf star.
Astronomers predict T CrB will reach peak brightness between April and September 2024, offering skywatchers a rare celestial spectacle. If you are interested in learning more about the Blaze Star, please consider connecting with Paul Barrett. Barrett can discuss the previously observed outbursts, what causes the outburst and what we can expect from the impending outburst.
Paul Barrett is an Astrophysics Research Professor at the George Washington University. His research area is multi-wavelength observations of magnetic cataclysmic variables with a current focus on radio observations. He has been developing scientific software for astronomers for over 40 years.
If you would like to connect with Prof. Barrett, please contact GW Media Relations Specialist Tayah Frye at [email protected].
-GW-