All images: NASA, Getty images
A star system, located around 3,000 light years away from Earth, might be visible to the unaided eye this year. According to NASA, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity as the nova outburst only occurs about every 80 years.
NASA said that T Coronae Borealis, or T CrB, last exploded in 1946 and astronomers believe it will do so again between February and September this year.
T CrB, which is normally of magnitude +10 (far too dim to see with the unaided eye), will jump to magnitude +2 during the event. This will be of similar brightness to Polaris.
Once its brightness peaks, T CrB should be visible to the unaided eye for several days and just over a week with binoculars before it dims again, possibly for another 80 years.