T Coronae Borealis May Jump to Magnitude +2, Becoming Naked-Eye Visible for Nearly 1 Week
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Jun 23
T Coronae Borealis May Jump to Magnitude +2, Becoming Naked-Eye Visible for Nearly 1 Week
3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jun 23
Summary
T Coronae Borealis could erupt at any time, turning from a normally invisible magnitude +10 object into a magnitude +2 “new star” bright enough to rival Polaris.
The outburst would be a recurring nova: a white dwarf ignites material stripped from a red giant companion after building toward critical mass, a cycle seen about once every 80 years.
The last confirmed eruption reached Earth in 1946, and earlier forecasts for 2024 missed; one paper’s final proposed date is June 25, 2026, though other astronomers dispute that model.
NASA says the brightened star should stay visible to the naked eye for a little under a week, with longer tracking possible by binoculars or telescope.