A one-time nova will appear in Earth’s sky. Here’s how to spot it.

A rare nova explosion will soon be visible in Earth’s night sky, according to NASA officials.

The event, which could happen anytime between now and September, is causing a stir within the astronomy community as both professional and amateur astronomers will be able to see the explosion.

“We’re certainly seeing a lot of excitement as sky watchers anticipate the predicted nova,” Claire Andreoli, astrophysics communications manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, told Yahoo News. “It’s rare that we get the opportunity to see something like this with our own eyes, which certainly adds to the buzz.”

🌟What causes a star to go nova?

T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), nicknamed the Blaze Star, is located 3,000 light-years from Earth and is a binary star system in the constellation Coronae Borealis (or ‘Northern Crown’).

In this binary system, a white dwarf (a dead star) and an old red giant (a slowly dying star) are gravitationally bound together. About every 80 years, the red giant’s hydrogen fuses with the white dwarf’s surface, increasing pressure and heat, resulting in a thermonuclear explosion, causing the system to go nova.

The last time a T CrB nova was seen from Earth was in 1946.

💥What is the difference between nova and supernova?

A nova is an astronomical event in which a star experiences a sudden and dramatic increase in brightness – sometimes as much as 100,000 times normal levels.

This results in a “new” star appearing in the night sky (“nova” is the Latin word for “new”), which slowly fades over weeks or months.

A nova differs from a supernova in that a star flares up during a nova and then returns to its resting state. During a supernova, the star is completely destroyed.

“T CrB is a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Dr. Rebekah Hounsell, an astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, told Yahoo News. “This event will inspire a new generation of astronomers as everyone can participate in observing this amazing astronomical event.”

📍How to find T Coronae Borealis in the night sky

When T CrB goes nova, it will be visible to the naked eye for about a week.

To see this, first locate the constellation Hercules and then look west at the Northern Crown, a horseshoe-shaped curve of stars.

“[The Northern Crown] can be identified by locating the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere – Arcturus and Vega – and following a straight line from one to the other, which will lead skygazers to Hercules and the Corona Borealis,” NASA says on its website.

“This will be a fleeting event and may be difficult to recognize,” Andreoli told Yahoo News.

“We’re really trying to manage expectations and provide people with as much information as possible so that they can hopefully be ready to witness this unique cosmic spectacle.”

💡How to best view the nova

• Get away from light pollution. Light pollution is stray light from parking lots, sports complexes, street lights and other human activities that manifests as a glow in the night sky. For dark skies, you should be at least 20 to 30 miles from the city limits, NASA advises.

• Check the weather forecast. Make sure it is a clear, cloudless night with good transparency (low dust and humidity levels). Websites like Good to Stargaze can tell you if your location’s forecast is favorable for stargazing.

• Use a constellation app or planisphere. Apps like Sky Guide use AR technology to turn your phone into a map to the stars. For those who prefer a more practical guide, a planisphere can help locate the constellation Hercules.