The cosmos often reveals its wonders to those who look closely. One such celestial spectacle, a recurring event near the Northern Crown Constellation, has fascinated observers for centuries. This phenomenon, characterized by a sudden and dramatic increase in stellar brightness, has intrigued astronomers and stargazers alike. In 1866, a humble railway worker named Alexey Kemenchuk stumbled upon this extraordinary celestial event, sparking a life long quest to under- stand its nature.
Near the Northern Crown Constellation, there is an explosion of a star every eighty years. This event is visible to the naked eye without the help of a telescope and causes the star’s brightness to increase for 2 to 3 continuous days. In 1866, an ordinary railway worker named Alexey Kemenchuk, who trav- eled home every night, had a hobby of watching stars while walking. He was knowledgeable about astronomy and constellations. One night, as he was heading home and observing the stars, he noticed an unusual bright star near the Northern Crown (Corona Borealis Constellation), which shone as bright as Polaris (Dhruva) . After two days, the star disappeared. Alexey found this strange and began investigating.
He observed that while the star was still present near the constellation, it was not visible to the naked eye. After many years of research, in 1946, the star began to increase its brightness again. In 2016, astronomers observed irregular behavior in the same star near the Northern Crown. They reviewed their collected data and found that Alexey had previously researched this phenomenon. They referred to his theories and discovered a time gap of 80 years between these explosions. The astrono- mers plotted a brightness graph, which matched Alexey’s data. They predicted that another explo- sion could occur in 2024.
With modern technology, scientists identified that the star is not a single star but a binary star system known as T Coronae Borealis (TcrB). This system consists of two stars: a white dwarf and a red giant. The distance between these two stars is approximately the distance between the Sun and Mercury (52.324 million kilometers). The white dwarf absorbs the outer layers of the red giant star due to its gravity could occur in 2024.
As a result, the white dwarf forms an accretion disk around it, increasing its mass. This causes the matter in the disk to produce pressure, raising the temperature. This temperature increase leads to nuclear fusion in the white dwarf, causing it to brighten. This explosion is known as a nova explosion. In 1866, Alexey was able to observe this star without a telescope, and the star is located 3,000 light-years away from Earth.
Alexey Kemenchuk’s chance observation of a peculiar brightening star near the Northern Crown Constellation in 1866 marked the beginning of a scientific journey that spanned nearly a century. His meticulous records and insightful theories laid the groundwork for future astronomers to unravel the mystery behind this celestial phenomenon. Today, we understand that this recurring event is a nova explosion in a binary star system known as T Coronae Borealis. Thanks to advance- ments in technology, scientists have been able to confirm Alexey’s predictions and shed light on the fascinating processes that drive these cosmic fireworks. As we continue to explore the universe, the legacy of Alexey Kemenchuk serves as a reminder of the power of human curiosity and the enduring allure of the cosmos.
By, K. Sanjay
1st year MPC – Dayscholar
