A nova named T Coronae Borealis lit up the night about 80 years ago, and astronomers expect it to put on another show this year.

If you keep a close eye on the night sky in the coming weeks and months, you may spot a new star. It will shine as bright as Polaris, the North Star, for up to a week before fading back into darkness.

This short-lived lighthouse is T Coronae Borealis, often referred to as T CrB. It is a nova, a nuclear explosion bursting forth from the pallid corpse of a long-dead star.  The same astonishing sight lit up our skies almost 80 years ago — and future generations may see it in another 80 years.

To any world nearby, a nova would be apocalyptic. But to stargazers in our world, some 3,000 light-years away, it will be “a once in a lifetime spectacle” according to Cork Astronomy Club observing convenor John Cuthbert.

You’ll find a good guide to viewing this new star in a NASA blog.