The Astrology of the Blaze Star
Unraveling the secrets of the explosive nova that's about to appear in our sky
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Sometime this year, a new star may become visible! A dwarf star in the T Coronae Borealis system in the constellation Corona Borealis is slated to explode in 2024. This event is called “going nova,” and it will cause this star to briefly become much brighter. For several days, you'll be able to look up in the sky with the naked eye and see the explosive nova shining down upon us.
Corona Borealis: Collins Dictionary
Since T Coronae Borealis only goes nova about once every eighty years, this is a very rare chance to see a new celestial object.
In this new article, I'll explain the astrology of this new star and discuss the spiritual meaning of this special recurrent nova.
Why Will a New Star Become Visible?
A new star will become visible because a white dwarf in the T Coronae Borealis system is going to explode in the near future. This white dwarf is sometimes called the Blaze Star.
T Coronae Borealis is a two-star system that is made up of a red giant and a white dwarf. A red giant is a very large star that is nearing the end of its life. A white dwarf is an extremely small and dense star with a strong gravitational pull. In the T Coronae Borealis system, the white dwarf known as the Blaze Star orbits around the red giant. This two-star system is located about 3,000 light years away from our Earth.
The red giant in this system has been growing hotter for a while. As it becomes more heated, the red giant will shed some of its layers of matter. The Blaze Star will gather this discarded material onto its surface.
Artist's conception of a white dwarf, right, accreting hydrogen from its larger companion star
Once the collected matter reaches a certain level, the white dwarf will become so hot that it undergoes a thermonuclear reaction and explodes. This explosion will not destroy the Blaze Star. Instead, it will shed extra matter that it collected from the red giant. During this process, the white dwarf will briefly become so bright that it will be visible from our Earth. The explosion of a star is known as a “nova.” This term means “new star” in Latin.
Some novas only appear once. The T Coronae Borealis system is special because it operates on a recurring schedule. It is therefore known as a recurrent nova.
The beginning of the cycle occurs when the white dwarf starts collecting matter that is shed by the red giant. It takes about eighty years for the white dwarf to become so hot that it blows away the excess material it has collected. After this explosion, the white dwarf will resume gathering matter from the red giant, and the cycle will begin again.
When Will the New Star Become Visible?
Experts predict that the Blaze Star will become visible very soon. In the past, the white dwarf became dimmer shortly before it went nova. In March 2023, the Blaze Star became dimmer. Thus, astronomers think it should go nova and become visible sometime before September 2024.
Once the explosive star gets to its highest level of brightness, it should be visible to the naked eye for a couple of days. The new star may be roughly as bright as the North Star or the planet Mars. If you use binoculars, you may be able to see the nova for about one full week.
I'll post an update when the star is visible, so you'll know when to watch out for it! If you'd like to be informed about this event, please subscribe to my Substack.
After the Blaze Star becomes visible, I plan to cast a horoscope for the first sighting of the nova. This chart should contain important keys to understanding the astrological symbolism of this event for our current time frame.
The Astrological and Spiritual Meaning of the New Star
The exploding Blaze Star and larger Corona Borealis constellation are connected to karmic cycles and change. This part of the cosmos can teach us to find our high purpose in the midst of the world's repeating cycles of strife and struggle.
The Blaze Star is aligned in zodiacal longitude with sidereal Libra. This is the sign of Venus, the planet that rules beauty, love, and the sweetest things in life. Libra is also a symbol of the balance and harmony which must be nurtured in order for humanity to evolve.
Image Credit: from The Planets.org
The Blaze Star is part of a small constellation in the northern celestial hemisphere. This constellation is called Corona Borealis, which is Latin for “Northern Crown.” From April to November in mid-northern latitudes, this constellation shines all night long.
The Northern Crown from Urania’s Mirror, 1825
The brightest star in the Corona Borealis system is called Alpha or T Coronae Borealis, also known as Alphecca or Gemma. According to astrology and sky lore, the Corona Borealis constellation and its alpha star Alphecca have many possible interpretations.
Corona Borealis comprises a semi-circular group of stars which have been described in a large variety of ways by different cultures. These include a hen, a crown of jewels, a circle of elders, a bear’s den, an eagle’s nest, a group of joyful dancing maidens, a string of coins, or a lowly prison.
The Arabs saw Corona Borealis as a boat-shaped begging bowl known as a kashkul, which was traditionally carried by Sufi mystics. A begging bowl can be a symbol of hunger, poverty, and need, but also for the Sufis, it symbolizes the spiritual renunciation of worldly goods and aspirations.
The Aboriginal Australians portray Corona Borealis as a boomerang, or woomera. This ancient and iconic tool is traditionally used for hunting, sport, digging, entertainment, and rituals. The returning boomerang is emblematic of karma, the law of cause and effect. It is also one of the world's first examples of a human-made flying object, thus portraying it as a symbol of technological innovation.
In classical mythology, Corona Borealis is generally regarded as the jeweled wedding crown worn by the ancient Minoan princess Ariadne. According to some versions of this ancient Greek legend, Ariadne helped the hero Theseus slay the Minotaur, who was her half-brother. Afterward, Theseus abandoned Ariadne, but later, Dionysus rescued and married her.
Corona Borealis, the jeweled crown of Princess Ariadne, shown in the Atlas Coelestis of John Flamsteed (1729).
Ariadne’s story is an allegory about the transformative nature of darkness, chaos, pain, and loss. The message is that we must deepen our faith and find hope and a higher purpose in the midst of life’s difficult karmic cycles. The crown itself is generally emblematic of stability, law and order, power, spiritual protection, sovereignty, and resurrection. The crown symbolism is an important reminder that humanity must strive to form a stronger alignment with the divine power, to bring heaven down to Earth, so to speak.
Previous Visibility Periods of T Coronae Borealis Show Its Connection to Times of Change and Transformation
T Coronae Borealis goes nova about once every eighty years. Looking at its past impact can help us understand the impact of its current cycle. As I researched historical periods that coincided with its previous times of visibility, I saw a clear connection between this extraordinary nova and times of crisis, transition, and metamorphosis.
The explosive nova was last visible in 1946. In this year, the world was dealing with the aftermath of World War II. This was an era of intense anxiety and dynamic change. Many countries were becoming independent, and several influential organizations, such the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, were emerging. This was also a time of technological advancement, with continued nuclear testing and the development of early computers.
Looking further back, the previous nova period occurred in 1866. At this time, the United States was in the midst of the fallout from the Civil War. This was a time of political crisis and considerable violence. During this year, the United States passed the Civil Rights Act and engaged in reconstruction of the South. This year also saw the invention of dynamite.
Academic evidence suggests that the nova was previously visible in 1787. At this time, the United States had been a country since the conclusion of the War of Independence in 1783. By 1787 (when the nova became visible), the fledgling nation was still establishing its structures and rules and enduring a state of turmoil as Republicans and Federalists fought for power and influence. The creation and signing of the Constitution of the United States occurred in 1787. Major technological developments with rail and steam engines occurred this year, as well.
Looking at these prior periods shows that in each case, the nova appeared when the world was dealing with transformation and fallout after some dramatic war or change. It's striking that the nova became visible after World War II, the American Civil War, and the American War of Independence. These years were also times of technological transformation.
Today, the nova will appear fairly soon after the end of the global crisis that began in 2020. This nova will also become visible as AI is rapidly becoming integrated into our lives. This suggests that the next several years will be a time of massive change and new developments. We may see the establishment of new technology and organizations that will have an outsized influence on our lives in the future.
Learning the Lessons of the Blaze Star
In the past several centuries, the appearance of the nova every eighty years has coincided with the end of a major event that has changed the United States and the world in a dramatic fashion. In 1787, the nova’s appearance reflected the birth of the United States, the rise of liberal democracies, and the death of the ancien regime.
In 1866, the nova’s appearance reflected the end of slavery and, in turn, the rise of a federal system of government where the United States as a whole was stronger than the sum of its parts (the States). In 1946, the nova’s appearance reflected the end of the old world order and the development of a global system dominated by the victorious United States.
Now, eighty years later, the nova’s impending appearance will serve as a celestial reminder to us that things have changed. The aftershocks of the world’s reactions to the recent global crisis continue to impact us today—high inflation, distorted markets, new working paradigms, public policy failures, foreign wars, political and societal chaos—and we don’t know where things are headed from here.
Among many, there is an impending sense of dread, a feeling that “the other shoe is about to drop,” and we’re just waiting for the next disaster to happen. There is a desire to return to how things were before, but the nova’s imminent arrival tells us that there is no going back, only forward. We must reflect upon what has happened over the past few years, accept that things are not returning to “normal,” and jump headfirst into the unknown.
Of all things visible, the highest is the heaven of the fixed stars. — Copernicus
Wow this is fascinating research over the ages of the Blaze Star, although I am sure many other planets and stars also carrry captivating stories. Thank you for your research and intent in enlightening our community, Juliana. We certainly live in "interesting" times, and there's no turning back.
Absolutely fascinating!! Your research is so timely and insightful! As the Corona Borealis is a symbolized by a crown (a northern one at that), did you find any historical correlations to the British crown (as some changes may be happening there as well)? Its correlation with US shifts is quite intriguing, especially with the constitution. Yes, "interesting" times, indeed.