T Coronae Borealis Explosion 2026: Has T CrB Gone Nova Yet?
Want to see a “new star”? Any day now, the star T Coronae Borealis might suddenly become visible to the naked eye for the first time in 80 years! Where should you look to see it? Use the Star Walk 2 app to find out the exact area in your sky where the star will appear. Read on to learn all the details on how to see this historic event.
Contents
- T Coronae Borealis star: key facts
- T Coronae Borealis explosion countdown: what is actually happening?
- T Coronae Borealis explosion date: Has T Coronae Borealis gone nova yet?
- Where is T Coronae Borealis in the sky?
- How T Coronae Borealis nova eruption works
- T Coronae Borealis nova eruptions in history
- T Coronae Borealis nova FAQ
- T Coronae Borealis nova: waiting for the explosion in 2026
T Coronae Borealis star: key facts
- Names: T Coronae Borealis, T CrB, Blaze Star
- Type: binary star, recurrent nova
- Constellation: Corona Borealis
- Normal magnitude: 10 (strong binoculars / telescope)
- Outburst magnitude: up to 2 (naked-eye)
- Visible between: +90° and −64°
- Best visibility: March-August
T Coronae Borealis explosion countdown: what is actually happening?
In recent years, both professional astronomers and casual stargazers have been closely monitoring T Coronae Borealis, a normally faint 10th-magnitude star in the constellation Corona Borealis. The reason is simple: at some point soon, the star is expected to brighten dramatically during a nova event.
T Coronae Borealis recurrent nova
The event we're so eagerly anticipating is called a nova, specifically a recurrent nova. Simply put, a nova is the sudden brightening of a star. A recurrent nova is a nova that happens in cycles of a few decades or less. Don't confuse it with a supernova, which is an explosion of a star when it dies.
In the case of T Coronae Borealis, this cycle repeats roughly every 80 years. The last recorded outburst took place on February 9, 1946.
What will the T Coronae Borealis explosion look like?
During the nova eruption, the star T Coronae Borealis is expected to brighten from magnitude 10 to 2, becoming visible to the naked eye.
At its peak, T Coronae Borealis could become as bright as the North Star. Sadly (or luckily), we won’t see any dramatic “explosion” in the sky, because the star is far too distant: it lies about 3,000 light-years from Earth. Instead, it will appear as an ordinary point of light, but one bright enough to join the ranks of the 200 brightest stars in the night sky.
That is a remarkable change for a star that is currently around magnitude 10 and barely visible even with powerful binoculars. Once the eruption happens, T Coronae Borealis should remain visible to the naked eye for several days.
T Coronae Borealis explosion date: Has T Coronae Borealis gone nova yet?
T Coronae Borealis has not yet undergone its next nova outburst. The exact date of this nova eruption is uncertain, with predictions ranging widely, and the true timing will only be clear when it actually begins.
One paper, published in 2024, proposed several possible dates for the next T Coronae Borealis nova based on comparisons with the 1946 outburst:
- August 12, 2024
- March 27, 2025
- November 10, 2025
- June 25, 2026
The first three dates have already passed, so now fingers crossed for June 25, 2026!
It is also worth noting that the earliest prediction from 1946, made by either N.F.H. Knight or W.M. Lindley, suggested an eruption sometime in 2026-27.
So which prediction should we trust? Either way, astronomers agree that the nova will happen soon – at least in terms of astronomical timelines – so now all we have to do is wait and see!
Best time for T Coronae Borealis explosion — March-August
No one knows exactly when T Coronae Borealis will erupt, but we hope it happens soon! Right now, the “Blaze Star” is at its best visibility of the year for both hemispheres. It appears higher and earlier in the Northern Hemisphere but is still visible from the Southern Hemisphere. Each month through September, it will rise earlier, making it an easier target for observation.
How not to miss T Coronae Borealis nova eruption?
Astronomers and stargazers around the world are already closely monitoring T Coronae Borealis. Any change in the star's brightness is recorded, and you can follow the T CrB thread on the AAVSO website, where stargazers share their observations. Be careful, however, as sightings may be inaccurate and should be double-checked.
To save time, you can simply enable push notifications in our Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight. We will notify you as soon as it is confirmed that T Coronae Borealis has exploded.
Don't be discouraged if you miss the moment of the explosion. The nova will be visible to the naked eye for several days, and may remain well-seen through binoculars for more than a week.
Where is T Coronae Borealis in the sky?
The much-anticipated nova, T Coronae Borealis, will appear in the constellation Corona Borealis, which can be a bit tricky to spot. This constellation looks like a small semicircle near Bootes and Hercules.
Corona Borealis is easiest to see in the Northern Hemisphere during spring and summer, reaching its highest point in the sky around July. By November, it begins to dip below the horizon after sunset, so you'll need to get up early to catch it before dawn. During the Northern Hemisphere winter, it'll climb higher in the pre-dawn sky each morning, becoming easier to see over time.
For observers in the Southern Hemisphere, the constellation is more challenging to spot as it lies close to the northern horizon. It can be viewed in the Southern Hemisphere autumn and winter and reaches the highest point in the sky in July. From October to around mid-January, the constellation can’t be seen in the southern latitudes.
The brightest star in Corona Borealis is Alphecca, located in the middle of the semicircle. The nova will appear just below the bottom of this semicircle and should shine as brightly as Alphecca.
To easily find the location of the upcoming nova, use our apps Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight. Simply search for T Coronae Borealis, point your device at the sky, and follow the arrow until you see it on the app’s sky map. For now, you’ll only see darkness at that point, but how exciting it will be to witness a "new" bright star when the nova erupts! To make your experience more vivid, familiarize yourself with the constellation Corona Borealis beforehand.
How T Coronae Borealis nova eruption works
T Coronae Borealis is actually a pair of stars: a white dwarf and a red giant. And their stellar relationship has its blazing moments! The white dwarf is the dense remnant of a star that has used up all its fuel, while the red giant is still active. As the red giant sheds its outer layers into space, the white dwarf accretes that material. This leads to a thermonuclear explosion on the white dwarf’s surface, producing the sudden brightening we see from the Earth as a nova.
Want to learn more about the stellar lifecycle? Check out our funny, cartoon-like infographic!
T Coronae Borealis nova eruptions in history
The T Coronae Borealis nova has been scientifically documented twice. It was noted by Irish astronomer John Birmingham on the night of May 12, 1866, and then again in 1946 by Leslie Peltier, the famed astronomer, author of the book "Starlight Nights."
A recent study by Bradley Schaefer from Louisiana State University in 2023 suggests that a bright star was seen in the same region in 1217 and 1787. The Ursperger Chronicle of 1225 mentions that Abbott Burchard of Ursberg Abbey observed a "wonderful sign" in 1217. He noted that the mysterious object in the constellation Corona Borealis "shone with great light" for "many days." The other sighting was recorded in a catalog published in 1789 by Reverend Francis Wollaston, an astronomer and clergyman.
T Coronae Borealis nova FAQ
Has T Coronae Borealis gone nova yet?
T Coronae Borealis has not yet gone nova. Astronomers are still waiting for the outburst, and the closest estimate suggests June 25, 2026, as a statistically likely date – but there is no guarantee. When the eruption occurs, the star should briefly brighten to naked-eye visibility.
Are a nova and a supernova the same thing?
Novae and supernovae are distinct events, even though they share the Latin word "nova" (meaning "new") in their names. A nova is a sudden, intense brightening of a star, increasing its brightness by 100 to 10,000 times. This occurs in binary star systems, where a white dwarf pulls matter from a companion red giant until a powerful nuclear fusion explosion happens on the dwarf’s surface. The star isn’t destroyed, and additional explosions can happen, known as recurrent novae.
In contrast, a supernova is a violent explosion that marks the end of a star's life. Supernovae are far more brilliant than novae, often shining brighter than an entire galaxy for a brief period. The most discussed upcoming supernova is that of the star Betelgeuse, although now we know that it won't come soon. Read our article on Betelgeuse to find out why.
Will the T Coronae Borealis nova damage the Earth?
T Coronae Borealis is a whopping 3,000 light-years away from us. At that distance, it poses no threat to the Earth. All we'll see is the star brightening up to magnitude 2. A more plausible space-related hazard would be an asteroid impact, though even that is extremely rare.
How long will the T CrB explosion be visible?
T Coronae Borealis is predicted to brighten from magnitude 10 to 2 in just a single day, or even within a few hours. It will stay visible to the naked eye for a few days, then will be viewable with binoculars for about a week before dimming back to its usual magnitude.
T Coronae Borealis nova: waiting for the explosion in 2026
T Coronae Borealis, a normally dim 10th magnitude star, is expected to suddenly explode soon. The best time to spot T CrB from both hemispheres is between March and August, so hopefully the event will occur within this time frame. The next predicted nova eruption date is June 25, 2026; however, it could happen earlier or later.
During the eruption, the star will temporarily rival the brightness of the North Star! This is possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience – the next time T Coronae Borealis brightens won't be for another 80 years.
So, don’t miss out! Turn on push notifications in your Star Walk 2 app, and we’ll alert you as soon as the nova arrives. Also, we recommend that you start observing the constellation Corona Borealis now and get familiar with its position in the sky. When the nova appears, you'll be ready to locate it and witness this exciting celestial event!
