Yesterday I read the following article that the T Coronae Borealis "Blaze Star" was going nova last night.

[Fla Dem]

It was touted as the biggest astrological event in 79 years, and will be all over the media.

Well I guess it didn't happen. First of all I was looking directly at the Big Dipper from 10pm to 11pm and nothing happened. Secondly, there was not a peep in any news sourcs today about it not happening.

The “Blaze Star” is what’s known as a recurrent nova. When a white dwarf in a binary system sucks enough hydrogen from its red giant companion, it triggers a thermonuclear explosion. That process works almost like clockwork and results in a bright flash that has been seen every 80 years or so by previous generations of astronomers in 1786, 1866 and 1946‚ and now, almost certainly in 2025-2026. There are records going back to 1217.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2025/03/27/blaze-star-how-to-prepare-for-the-biggest-sky-event-for-79-years/

Anybody else watching for it last night? Did I totally misunderstand what was predicted to happen? The artcle did say there were future date when it could appear.

Those of you more knowledgeable about Astrology any thoughts?

[Frasier Balzov]

1. I like waiting for something

which would have happened three thousand years ago.

Cosmological scale is fun!

Predictions for the timing of (our view of) this event continue to vary.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_Coronae_Borealis

[Fla Dem]

2. Yes the article did point out this happened 3000 years ago and the light is just now reaching us.

Whatever we’re about to see has already happened. Since this star system of a white dwarf (the dense core of a dead star) and a red supergiant (an expanding cooling star) is 3,000 light-years away, whatever is about to happen did so 3,000 years ago. It’s just that the light is about to reach us. Shocked? Don’t be. Even the sunlight you feel on your skin is eight minutes old. Technically speaking, everything you see is old light — even when you look at the person next to you.

That in itself is pretty awesome.

[Biophilic]

3. Yea, I went looking for it also.

🤷‍♀️

[eppur_se_muova]

4. It's not in the Big Dipper (actually Ursa Major), it's in Corona Borealis.

Follow the 'handle' of the Big Dipper (the 'tail' of Ursa Major) in an arc to the bright star Arcturus in the constellation Bootes ("arc to Arcturus" is the mnemonic). Now look for the unique 'kite' shape of Bootes. CrB is just south of that, and faint.

[Fla Dem]

7. Thank You, agree. I was using the Big Dipper as a reference point.

It is down and to the left of the Big Dipper's tail.

Image that is in the article.

[electric_blue68]

5. It's also a Reoccurring Nova of a Binary Star system. A Red Giant gases flow to it's white drawf....

companion. They build up, and about every 80+ years the white dwarf flairs up.

Being in NYC maaaaybe I could see it from a darker area I know. I should ask who I know if they know anyone who can see The *Big Dipper on a clear night. I figure if they can see TBD they probably can see Arcturus, Bootes.


*I have a special fondness for the Big Dipper. When I traveled by bus to Arizona from NYC every night I could see TBD out my bus windows. It felt like I was being watched over.

While not related - for years (in the winter only? I forget) I could see Orion smack outside my windows. Glorious! And once I barely saw The Pliedes just past our building's roof edge if I looked straight up!

[Fla Dem]

6. Yes, the article from Forbes I provided a link for explained that very well,

[electric_blue68]

8. 👍