T Coronae Borealis

recurrent nova · the Blaze Star

3,000 light-years from Earth

A red giant and a white dwarf, 3,000 light-years away. About every 80 years, gas that the white dwarf has pulled off the giant explodes on the dwarf's surface, and for a few days the pair can be seen without a telescope. It erupted in 1866 and 1946, and astronomers expect the next eruption soon.

• the two stars circle each other every 228 days (shown ~18 s)
• last erupted in 1946 · the replay here comes every 34 s

kind

star · explosion or collision