"Guide to Observing This Year's Rare Nova Igniting a 'New Star' in the Sky"

A rare nova outburst from the T Coronae Borealis star system, expected to occur between February and September 2024, will offer a once-in-a-lifetime skywatching opportunity as it becomes visible in the constellation Corona Borealis. This event, occurring approximately every 80 years, will appear as a bright "new" star in the night sky, reaching a magnitude comparable to the North Star. The outburst is triggered by a white dwarf siphoning material from its red giant companion, leading to a brief flash of nuclear fusion. This binary star system, located 3,000 light-years away, is one of only five recurrent novae observed within the Milky Way galaxy.