An astronomer from Calvin College was able to get a predicted date of the explosion of a star. Apparently, it can happen in about five years from now.
National Geographic reported that one stellar system is set to explode by 2022. The event is expected to be visible from Earth with just the naked eye because of its brightness, which is 10,000 times more than the Polaris, the North Star.
The explosion will be a result of the moment when two stars merge. It will explode into a red nova that will give Cygnus "an extra stellar spangle" for a brief period of time.
Calvin College astronomer Larry Molnar made the announcement about the prediction during a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Grapevine, Texas. He described it as "a very dramatic change in the sky."
According to Vox, the stars are located about 1,800 light years away. Actually, they have already exploded but the light from the explosion will only reach Earth in about five years or so.
Matt Walhout, a dean at Calvin College, said in a statement that this will be a first in history. Parents can show their kids a dark spot in the sky which will eventually light up as the light reaches our planet.
The data that will be collected before, during and after the explosion can be of great help in understanding how solar systems work. It will also show how these systems evolve.
Engadget noted that Molnar's prediction comes after he studied the star named KIC 9832227. His research led him to the conclusion that the star is not just a "binary" one but a "contact binary."
This means that the stars are very close to each other that they share atmospheres. Moreover, they are so near to each other that an explosion is imminent when they come to contact with each other.
