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Some stars explode as they die. We look at their life cycle

A red giant star and white dwarf orbit each other in this animation of a nova similar to T Coronae Borealis. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center hide caption

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NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Short Wave

Some stars explode as they die. We look at their life cycle

This summer, scientists have their eyes and telescopes trained on the small constellation system T Coronae Borealis. They think it will explode as part of a periodic nova — a once-in-a-lifetime event according to NASA scientists. And so, with the help of astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance, we continue our journey farther and deeper into spacetime with a look at the stars: How they're born and how they die. Sarafina has always been drawn to one particular star: Betelgeuse, a red supergiant in the shoulder of the constellation Orion that is nearing the end of its life. What stages of life did Betelgeuse — or any star — go through before it reached this moment?

Some stars explode as they die. We look at their life cycle

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Checking your 2024 horoscope? Astronomy explains why your sign might have changed

Some of the constellations that are visible from the Northern Hemisphere at different times of the year. NASA/JPL-Caltech hide caption

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NASA/JPL-Caltech

Space

Checking your 2024 horoscope? Astronomy explains why your sign might have changed

Our view of the constellations has changed since they were first mapped thousands of years ago. That new perspective could also mess with your astrological horoscope in the new year.

Checking your 2024 horoscope? Astronomy explains why your sign might have changed

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A star is born ... and then what? A journey through the life cycle of a star

Orion and stars rising over a forest captured on a mountain. Yuga Kurita/Getty Images hide caption

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Yuga Kurita/Getty Images

Short Wave

A star is born ... and then what? A journey through the life cycle of a star

Soon after the sun sets on winter nights, if you live in the northern hemisphere you can look into the sky and find the Orion constellation near the eastern horizon. Astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance has always been drawn to a particular star in Orion: Betelgeuse, a red supergiant nearing the end of it's life on the hunter's left shoulder.

A star is born ... and then what? A journey through the life cycle of a star

Listen · 14:36
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Think you're a Taurus? Earth's wobble sees things differently

Some of the constellations that are visible from the Northern Hemisphere at different times of the year. NASA/JPL-Caltech hide caption

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NASA/JPL-Caltech

Weekly Dose of Wonder

Think you're a Taurus? Earth's wobble sees things differently

Our view of the constellations has changed since they were first mapped thousands of years ago. That new perspective could also mess with your horoscope.

Think you're a Taurus? Earth's wobble sees things differently

Listen · 3:36
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  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1173786157/1173808350" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
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