A rare inter-stellar explosion that will be visible from the Earth

A recent press release by the NASA has predicted the explosion of a star or nova sometime this summer. What will be exciting for those interested in astronomy is that this will be visible to the naked human eye. This is a once in a life time event and the exact date of the event is presently unknown but is expected to be revealed by NASA soon. Most stars die when hydrogen in them run out. Stars that are the size of the Sun expand and become a red giant which is one hundred times the size of their diameters. Now when the red giant loses its heat and its core loses mass, it leads to shrinking and becomes a white dwarf.

Details of the star about to explode:
NASA has revealed that this start is known as the T Coronae Borealis or the “Blaze Star” which is located 3000 light years away and is comprised of a white dwarf which is “earth sized”. This is the remnants of a dead star. The starburst’s mass is similar to that of the Sun. The red giant has lost its hydrogen due to the gravitational pull exerted by its neighbor.


On an average, the Blaze Star explosion occurs once in 80 years. This event is expected to happen close to the Earth. The event is expected to take place sometime this month.

Where to spot the star?
Fox News reported that people should initially look towards the Northern Crown which is located west of the Hercules constellation. The gazers can also trace a straight line from Arcturus and Vega which are the two brightest stars of the northern hemisphere. This will lead them to Hercules constellation and the Corona Borealis where the blaze star will be visible.

Explosion of the Star:
When hydrogen accumulates from the red giant on the surface of the white dwarf, it triggers a thermonuclear explosion that blasts the material into space. The event of Nova does not destroy the star like the Supernova and keeps it intact.

FAQs:

When was the last star explosion that could be seen from the Earth?
The last star that exploded was in February 1987. A star named Supernova 1987 A exploded and it could be seen from the earth.

How often does a star explode in the Universe?
A star explodes every 10 seconds in the Universe. In the Milky Way Galaxy, a star explodes once in 50 years.