Believe, think and act scientifically. Inviting you to keep an eye on the astronomical phenomenon of a star exploding nova (nova) from the binary star system T Corona Borealis or T CrB, visible to the naked eye. that will explode between now and September If you miss it, you have to wait another 80 years…
February 27, 2024, big news from NASA. For most people around the world all above the equator including Thai people in Thailand and people below the equator But the target constellation can be seen. Keep your eyes peeled and prepare to see an astronomical phenomenon once in 80 years: Nova (nova) Which is expected to occur during the period between February and September 2024 and can be seen with the naked eye.
“Believe, think and act scientifically” Today, we would like to introduce readers to Nova. and prepare to watch Nova If it hasn’t happened yet Before the reader can read “Believe, think and act scientifically” Today (April 6, 2024) or if a nova occurs first You will be able to increase your knowledge about this amazing phenomenon in the sky.
NASA and news about the birth of a nova in the year 2024
NASA in the form of a blog Notified on NASA’s website, it is expected that between February and September 2024 there will beNova from the binary star system T Corona Borealis or T CrB. in the northern sky Visible to the naked eye for a few days. But if you look with binoculars, you will be able to see this nova for more than a week.
The binary star system T CRB is in the constellationCorona Borealis (Corona Borealis) or groupNorthern Crown star (Northern Crown) close to the groupStar Shepherd (Bootes) and Constellation Hercules (Hercules)
Double star T CRB consists of red giant star and white dwarf Where birth is a nova It is the birth of a white dwarf. Normally, people on Earth cannot see white dwarfs with the naked eye. Even with a telescope it cannot be seen. Except for white dwarfs that are close to Earth. and is bright enough
The T CRB binary star is approximately 3,000 light years from Earth. Normally, the visible part (with a telescope) will bered giant star which has an apparent brightness level (magnitude) or apparent magnitude of about +10, but when the white dwarf part explodes as a nova It will make this binary star system have an apparent brightness level of +2. which can be seen with the naked eye from Earth
Magnitude (magnitude) is a system for indicating the brightness level of stars in the sky. Has both positive and negative values. Where if the number has a higher value The brighter the less and divided into two types: Apparent magnitude andAbsolute magnitude (absolute magnitude)
Apparent magnitude It is the level of brightness that can actually be seen from the world.Absolute magnitude It is the brightness of stars that astronomers use to compare the brightness of stars. It is defined as the apparent brightness of stars. At a distance of 10 parsecs from the star itself, or 32 : 6 light years.
For magnitude is often used to refer to the brightness of stars. is the apparent magnitude
our sun It has an apparent magnitude of -26.8 and an absolute magnitude of +4.83.
Nova and Supernova
Nova and supernova (supernova) Similar names, same things about stars. but different
A simple explanation forNovaandSupernova is Nova is the explosion of a star. It was like violently peeling off the outer shell of a star. With the stars still remaining…
partSupernova isThe explosion of an entire star
The main differences are :-
*Nova detected or known to humans They all arise from stars with low mass. At the end of life it changed towhite dwarf and paired withanother star which may bewhite dwarfsimilar orDae giant stard Then the white dwarf gained mass…or picked up mass…from another star. until a nuclear fusion reaction occurs Then it exploded… creating a nova.
*Supernova It is the end of the life of a very massive star. At the end of its life there was an explosion of the entire star.
*Supernova brighter Nova Very, some supernovae are very bright. Until it can be seen with the naked eye during the daytime Novas are much less bright than supernovae. and can only be seen in the night sky
*light fromSupernova It will be like a bright flash…quite quickly…up in the sky. But it will quickly decrease in brightness within a few days. Novas light up in the sky more slowly than supernovae. and will reduce the brightness slowly Compared to a supernova, for example, within weeks or months.
*Supernovaof a star is a one-time phenomenon of a star. But for a nova of a star, once it occurs It will happen again. or will it not occur again? It depends on the star that is born as a nova. “raw material” Is there enough new material from other planets to fill it?
*After the birth of a nova of a star, ifNot bornIt’s Nova all over again. Eventually it will change from a white dwarf to abrown or gray stars And in the end it really will be “Dead star” or “Black Star” (black star)
*After being born into soupPernova The remains of stars are gas and dust. which will be the raw material They can combine to form stars, planets, and other star systems like the solar system. Like our solar system which astronomers are sure that it was caused by the remains of a star that had previously exploded as a supernova. causing a supernova to be compared to “Phoenix Bird” who died in the fire and was born again
*In a galaxy Novawill happen more oftenSupernova For the Milky Way galaxy Astronomers estimate that about 40 novae occur per year, but only about 5-10 are detected per year. Supernovae in our Milky Way galaxy It happens only two or three times in a century.
Some particularly famous examples of supernovae are: Supernova of the Crab Nebula (crab mebula) which occurred in the year 1054 according to the records of Chinese astronomers The Crab Nebula is the visible remains of a supernova.
For Nova, Nova samples at “The brightest” that is recorded is NovaCP Puppis (CP Puppis) It is in the constellation Puppis. Born in 1942, it has an apparent magnitude of +0.3.
Nova T CRB
How did Nova T CRB come about?
T CRB is a binary star system consisting of a red giant star. and white dwarf The pair orbits together every 228 days in a nearly circular pattern. They are approximately 0.54 parsecs apart, or about half the distance Earth is from the Sun. or between the Sun and Venus
The red giant star of the T CRB binary system has a mass slightly more than the mass of the Sun, 1.12 times that of the Sun. White dwarfs are more massive, with a mass of 1.37 times the mass of the Sun.
Moreover, red giants have a lower temperature, which is cooler than white dwarfs. The atmosphere of the red giant flows towards the white dwarf. and is attracted by a white dwarf to accumulate on the surface or atmosphere of the white dwarf Until the point where nuclear fusion reactions occur on the surface of the white dwarf. and explodes into a nova
The white dwarf of the T CRB binary star system is a white dwarf with sufficient mass. that can be repeated as a nova many times
The last time it happened was in 1946, which was 78 years ago when it was brightest at magnitude +2.0 on April 9 of 1946, and before that it was a nova. It was brightest at magnitude +2.0 on May 12, 1866, or 80 years before the last time.
Before 1866 there was astronomical evidence that Novas may have been seen from the T CRB binary star system in 1787 and as far back as 1217.
How do we know that Nova T CRB will occur in 2024?
The direct answer is from following and studying the birth of a nova. TCRB in the past found that since 1866 the birth of this nova was clearly recorded. Until the last time it occurred in 1946, recurrences of this nova occur at intervals of approximately 80 years…
Importantly, previous studies of this same nova found that before it became a nova The white dwarf will appear to calm down approximately 11 months or a year ago. Then a nova was born…
And from keeping a special eye on white dwarfs over the past year. Astronomers found that The white dwarf appears to have calmed down. About almost a year ago and from the detailed analysis and study Astronomers are therefore confident that T CRB’s white dwarf is ready to explode as a nova. Between February and September 2024
Sky map from the Thai Astronomical Society
Keep an eye on the 2024 Nova T CRB.
Until today (6 April 2024) ifNova T CRB hasn’t happened yet. And if readers would like to join “watch” Also look at Nova’s appearance. You are not an expert amateur astronomer. and tools already available to help spot novae, such as personal telescopes So what will you do?
Nova viewing, today’s goal, requires no tools. Because it can be seen with the naked eye, especially if you “Stargazing” If you already have it, it’s even easier. Because you just keep your eyes on it.The constellation Corona Borealis or the Northern Crown constellation.
But if you don’t know Or are unsure of the location in the sky of the constellation Corona Borealis and would like to find a simple tool to help you? “Sky map” or “star map” of the Thai sky (for readers in Thailand) which will tell you the location of the constellations.
A star map of the sky above Thailand that is easy to find is Sky map of the Thai Astronomical Society You can buy them, for example, at the Bangkok Ekkamai Planetarium or at the Thai Astronomical Society. In the Bangkok Planetarium area
One big obstacle that will make hunting for novae in the sky more difficult is that Conditions for seeing the sky at your location
If the reader is in a big city, the light and dust from the city will drown out the light from the stars in the sky.
Therefore, the best place to hunt for a nova target is somewhere away from distracting lights.
Beginners to stargazing often ask: What do they need to look for?BinocularsHelps in stargazing such as searching Or see Nova this year’s goal? The author’s answer is that it is not necessary!
If you just want to follow the news Especially the appearance of Nova…if or when it happens. The author would like to inform the readers that you will “know” quickly from “news” in the media, especially Online media…
Because every moment Since the end of February this year onwards. There are astronomers all over the world. including professional astronomers such as NASA astronomers with the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope It’s already a tool. and amateur astronomers Hunters of celestial phenomena such as comets, using personal telescopes to keep an eye on “hunting” nova targets.
What if Nova T CRB doesn’t come to the appointment?
If until today (April 6, 2024), Nova T CRB has not yet occurred. We must continue to wait…
But if after September 2024, Nova T CRB still hasn’t appeared. So what to do next?
Chances that Nova T CRB will occur in 2024 or the following year It still exists…
Because the birth of a nova of T CRB usually occurs within a period of approximately 78-80 years, and the year 2024 is far from the year Novadia was born today in 1946. for 78 years
But what if Nova T CRB never happens again?
Astronomers had to reset their minds. Find out the reason why Nova T CRB did not come as scheduled even though T CRB showed the same attitude as before that it was about to become Nova.
And will astronomers be disappointed?
The scientific answer is no!
because it means Knowledge about novae in the field of astronomyStill not complete…
And really, if Nova, the target of 2024, really doesn’t come on schedule. It will open the way for new knowledge about Nova!
Astronomers, like scientists in every field, are therefore not disappointed. “surprised” with “Failure to meet expectations” because it means Met new issues…to new scientific knowledge.
If Nova T CRB actually occurs as scheduled For most people around the world, it will be. “experience” Once in a lifetime Because we will probably have to wait another 80 years to see Nova T CRB again…
But you will be like the author. Actually, if the target nova actually happens in 2024, it will be this same nova. That happened twice in the author’s lifetime. Because when this nova happened the previous time in 1946, the author was born and was young enough to know the story. Because he has reached the age to enter school…
But I still can’t remember the story of Nova’s birth 78 years ago. “Innocent” Too much for an extraordinary phenomenon in world astronomy.
Until today If the target nova has not yet arrived as scheduled How does the author feel…and think…?
The author still believes that The target Nova will still arrive as scheduled. That is, the author still believes that Astronomers predict that Nova T CRB will occur this year…not wrong!
And what do you think, readers?
