A cosmic spectacle is on the brink of captivating sky-watchers, with astronomers closely monitoring the potential for two significant astronomical events: the appearance of the elusive Blaze Star and the impending explosion of the colossal red giant star, WOH G64. Both phenomena exemplify the dramatic life cycles of massive stars and symbolize incredible scientific advancements.
The Blaze Star, officially known as T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), is part of the Northern Crown constellation, located roughly 3,000 light-years from Earth. Astronomers believed this star system would erupt, leading to the appearance of this new star somewhere between February and September of this year. Yet, as the month of September draws to a close, enthusiastic stargazers are left with one pressing question: where is it?
Dr. David Wilson, an astrophysicist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder, explained the nature of T CrB’s explosion. It is born from the inner workings of two stars: the red giant, which is losing material, and its companion, the white dwarf star, about the size of Earth. This turbulent relationship leads to dramatic outbursts when enough material accumulates on the white dwarf’s surface, boiling over and causing what is termed as a thermonuclear runaway.
When T CrB erupts, it manifests itself visually as though a brand-new star has joined the night sky—a phenomenon aptly designated as “nova,” which translates from Latin to “new star.” Looking up at the Northern Crown, observers hope to catch sight of T CrB; yet, as of now, it remains unobservable.
Historically, when T CrB last erupted back in 1946, astronomers took note of the star dimming about one year before its explosive display. This time around, T CrB began dimming back in March 2023, leading scientists like Wilson and Bill Cooke, NASA’s Meteoroid Environments Office Lead at the Marshall Space Flight Center, to project its eruption would happen soon. Still, there remains uncertainty, as the window of observation could continue for months yet. “Hopefully, it will explode this month. If not, it will actually be very inconvenient because it's about to go behind the sun,” Wilson noted.
If the explosive event occurs before the star moves behind the sun, sky watchers will only be able to observe the nova for just a few days as it reaches peak brightness and then fades away. Wilson indicates this transition could take between one day and one week. He adds, “It’s not going to get all bright,” and advises patience because T CrB’s brightness will not rival the classic bright stars like the North Star. The first observers of the phenomenon may likely be amateur astronomers since many advanced telescopes will likely struggle to pick up on it initially.
Finding T CrB will require some scouting since it resides within the constellation details of Hercules and Boötes. Anyone determined to locate it should look between these constellations, particularly aligning their gaze with the stars Vega and Arcturus, where the Blaze Star is predicted to materialize.
Meanwhile, another promising stellar observation looms large. WOH G64, tagged as the “behemoth star,” is playing its final role just within the Large Magellanic Cloud, approximately 160,000 light-years away. Recent imagery captured through the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope has unveiled this massive red supergiant star’s last throes, detailed as shedding gas and dust, hinting at its imminent demise through supernova.
This unprecedented, close-up image shows WOH G64 enveloped by what appears to be an egg-shaped cocoon formed from expelled stellar material. This discovery is pivotal as it offers insight on the material ejection process occurring prior to the star’s catastrophic event. Lead study author Keiichi Ohnaka, from Andrés Bello National University, remarked, “For the first time, we have succeeded in taking a zoomed-in image of a dying star outside our Milky Way.” This scientific breakthrough provides astronomers with invaluable data as they study the violent transformations of stars.
With WOH G64 being 2,000 times the size of the sun, its categorization as the largest known red supergiant lends itself to fascination. Positioned to undergo one of the universe’s most spectacular transformations, WOH G64’s eventual supernova will mark the phenomenal end of its life—an event likely visible to life on Earth, depending on timing and atmospheric conditions.
Both WOH G64 and T CrB serve as captivating reminders of the impermanent nature of the universe. They fuel curiosity and engagement among amateur and professional stargazers, providing fresh opportunities for cosmic exploration. Whether the newly predicted Blaze Star finds its way to our sky this month or WOH G64 dazzles observers with its supernova, one thing is certain—science continues to probe and reveal the mysteries of the universe, sparking awe and wonder.
So, as the month continues and the stars align, will sky-gazers be celebrating the arrival of the Blaze Star, or will they witness WOH G64’s grand finale? The answer is yet to be seen, but astronomers around the world remain poised for excitement.
