The clock is ticking for the binary star T Coronae Borealis, as it’s only a matter of time before it explodes in a blaze of light that will be visible here on Earth. Although astronomers aren’t sure exactly when this spectacle will unfold, they say the binary star — given the fiery nickname, the Blaze Star — is likely to ignite later in 2025.
The Explosive Cycle of T CrB
T Coronae Borealis (T CrB) is a nova located about 3,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Corona Borealis (the Northern Crown), which lies in the northern sky. It consists of two stars that orbit each other: one is a white dwarf star — the hot, dense stellar core that remains after a low- or intermediate-mass star has exhausted its fuel, nearing the end of its evolution. The other is a red giant, a previous stage of stellar evolution in which a dying star with an expanding radius and diminishing surface temperature runs out of hydrogen fuel.
