can you visit nasa headquarters

Exploration of space

Can you visit nasa headquarters?

Yes, you can visit NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.! NASA Headquarters is located at 300 E Street SW. The Visitor Center is located on the first floor of the Headquarters building and is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free.

Yes, you can visit the NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Can you go inside NASA headquarters?

Please note that half and full day tours are available. Half day tours are conducted between 10 am – 12 pm or 1 pm – 3 pm, and full day tours are conducted between 10 am – 3 pm.

There are many NASA Visitor Center Locations across the United States. Each one offers a unique blend of education and entertainment. Visit one of these locations to share in America’s triumphant adventures in space.

Can a civilian visit NASA

As of now, NASA is only allowing access to their facilities to employees and on-site contractors who have advanced sponsorship. This is in accordance with guidance from federal, state and community officials.

Come explore the history and future of Wallops Island and NASA at the Visitor Center! There are a variety of exhibits, videos, events, programs and tours to enjoy, all free of charge. So come on down and learn something new!

What is the dress code for NASA visitors?

We ask that guests please dress appropriately when visiting our establishment. This includes wearing a shirt and shoes. We do not allow clothing with objectionable material, including obscene language or graphics. Thank you for your cooperation.

Space Center Houston is an amazing place to visit if you’re interested in space and science! You can learn all about NASA’s history and see some of the equipment that astronauts use. You can also see a replica of the International Space Station and take a tour of the Johnson Space Center.

Can you tour NASA in Texas?

Space Center Houston is a must-see for anyone interested in space! Visitors can experience space firsthand by seeing astronauts train for missions, touching a real moon rock, and taking a behind-the-scenes tour of NASA.

The Exploration Center is a great place to learn about what NASA Ames is doing! It’s free to the public, so come on by and check it out. You can also find out more about the center on their website.

Can you tour spacex

If you’re interested in visiting Spaceport America, you’ll need to go through our tour provider, Final Frontier Tours. The spaceport is an active test facility and isn’t open to the public. Launches at the site aren’t open to public viewing, either, and are subject to scheduling changes.

Can you visit NASA headquarters in DC?

If you’re interested in bringing a group to the Goddard Space Flight Center, you can schedule a tour or program Tuesday through Friday. Just email [email protected] to reserve a spot. If you have any questions, please call 301-286-3978.

With the advent of private companies offering space tourism, there has been a recent surge in interest in traveling to space. However, these trips come at a significant cost, typically ranging from $250,000 to $500,000 for a suborbital trip. For flights to actual orbit, which are much more rare and require a higher altitude, the cost can be upwards of $50 million per seat. Despite the high cost, there is still a significant demand for these trips, as many people view space as the final frontier.

Do NASA astronauts get paid

Astronauts who work for civilian agencies like NASA earn a base salary of $104,898 per year. However, their salaries can increase to $161,141 per year. Furthermore, SpaceX founder Elon Musk said that he would be willing to pay his astronauts up to $500,000 for a trip to Mars.

Looking to visit the visitor complex for as low as $45 per day? Look no further than the 2-Day Admission Ticket! With this ticket, you can save and return for a second time within 6 months. Just note that the following experiences are add-on enhancements and not included with daily admission:

How much do NASA pay for astronauts?

As of Feb 8, 2023, the average monthly pay for a NASA astronaut in the United States is $7,763 a month. This is a competitive salary, especially when compared to other occupations. astronauts are highly trained professionals who are essential to the success of NASA missions. They are responsible for operating the spacecraft and performing experiments in space. astronauts work long hours and endure difficult conditions, so their salaries reflect their experience and expertise.

There are many myths about what it takes to be an astronaut, but thankfully, most of them are not true! For example, you do not need to be a certain age or have a perfect vision to become an astronaut. And contrary to popular belief, you also do not need to have a college degree in engineering to qualify. So don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be an astronaut because you don’t fit the ” mold.” Instead, follow your dreams and see where they take you!

How many vacation days do you get at NASA

If you’re planning on visiting the Kennedy Space Center, you’ll want to know what you can and can’t bring in with you. Fortunately, the center is pretty relaxed when it comes to food and drink. You are allowed to bring in small, soft-sided containers with your food and drink. However, hard containers and glass bottles are not allowed. This is to ensure the safety of everyone at the center.

Final Words

Yes, you can visit the NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Yes, you can visit NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and no advance reservations are required. Aerospace topics, such as the history of manned spaceflight and current NASA missions, are presented in exhibits and displays. Guided tours of the Center are also available.

Thelma Nelson

Thelma Nelson is passionate about space exploration and the possibilities it holds. She has been an avid supporter of SpaceX and other private space companies, believing that these organizations have the potential to unlock the mysteries of the universe. She has been a vocal advocate for more investment in research and development of space technology.

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NASA Headquarters: Facts and Information

NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., houses the higher-ups responsible for charting the space agency's course and implementing its vision. For the record, that vision is: "To reach for new heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind."

NASA HQ is located at Two Independence Square, a building in a complex at 300 E Street SW in the nation's capital. It oversees activities conducted at the agency's 10 field centers and a variety of installations scattered around the country. [ Infographic: NASA Centers' New Mission ]

Headquarters is divided into four main organizations, which the agency calls mission directorates. These directorates are Aeronautics, Human Exploration and Operations, Science, and Space Technology. [ Giant Leaps: Top Milestones of Human Spaceflight ]

Aeronautics

NASA isn't just about spaceflight and space science, as its full name — the National Aeronautics and Space Administration — makes clear. In fact, the precursor to the agency was the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which formed in 1915.

The Aeronautics Mission Directorate works to make air travel smoother and safer. The directorate has three main goals, according to its website: 1) Improve gate-to-gate mobility in the nation's commercial air transportation system; 2) Reduce aircraft noise, emissions and fuel use, as well as the overall environmental impact on communities surrounding airports; and 3) Maintain or improve aircraft safety.

In 2016, NASA launched New Aviation Horizons. The new initiative emphasizes X-planes, a series of experimental aircraft to test the latest ideas related to flight. 

Aeronautics research takes place at four of NASA's 10 centers: Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.; Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California; Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio; and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.

The Aeronautics Mission Directorate received $660 million in the White House's budget request for fiscal year 2017.

Of President Trump's proposed 2018 budget, NASA's acting administrator Robert Lightfoot said in a statement , "This budget also keeps aeronautics on stable footing allowing us to continue our forward movement in many areas, including the New Aviation Horizons initiative."

Human exploration and operations

This directorate manages NASA's human spaceflight operations in low-Earth orbit and beyond. Much of the work is connected with the $100 billion International Space Station , which has hosted astronauts continuously since 2000.

Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) also manages the space agency's efforts to nurture the emerging American private spaceflight industry, which NASA wants to fill the crew- and cargo-carrying shoes of the retired space shuttle fleet. That includes the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office (C3PO) , with the program goal to "extend human presence in space by enabling an expanding and robust U.S. commercial space transportation industry."

Despite hopes that at least two American commercial spaceships would be ready to ferry astronauts to and from the space station by 2017, the date has been pushed back due to safety concerns. The agency has also inked deals with two companies — California-based SpaceX and Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp. — to make supply runs to the orbiting lab with unmanned craft. [ Special Report: The Private Space Taxi Race ]

But NASA is also working to get people to  Mars  and other deep-space destinations. To make this happen, the agency is building a huge rocket called the Space Launch System and a capsule known as Orion. However, in a propulsion meeting of the  American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics  in July 2017, Bill Gerstenmaier, head of HEO, responded to a question about when NASA will send humans to the surface of Mars by saying, "I can't put a date on humans on Mars, and the reason really is … the other piece is, at the budget levels we described, this roughly 2 percent increase … we don't have the surface systems available for Mars. And that entry, descent and landing is a huge challenge for us for Mars."

The HEO directorate is relatively new, having been created in August 2011. It combines two previous directorates, which were known as Space Operations and Exploration Systems.

HEO received $4.3 billion for exploration and $4.9 billion for space operations in 2017.

NASA field centers that are key to the goals and activities of this directorate include Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, Houston's Johnson Space Center and Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.

The Science Mission Directorate manages NASA's many scientific and unmanned exploration activities, which the space agency breaks into four main areas: Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics and astrophysics.

The directorate's cosmic reach is thus vast, spanning missions that study Earth from space to unmanned efforts that explore other worlds such as Mars and Jupiter to space telescopes that peer to the very edge of the observable universe.

For example, Science oversees the $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory mission, which dropped the 1-ton Curiosity rover onto the Red Planet's surface on Aug. 5, 2012. And it's responsible for the $8.8 billion James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope that's slated for a 2019 launch .

The Science Mission Directorate is receiving $5.7 billion in the enacted 2017 federal budget. (The allocations to NASA's directorates don't add up to the agency's total budget of $19.7 billion because some money goes to construction, field center management and education efforts, among other things.)

Under Trump's 2018 proposal, the budget for planetary science would increase, but the budget for Earth science would decrease . Of that budget, Lightfoot said, "Overall science funding is stable, although some missions in development will not go forward and others will see increases. We remain committed to studying our home planet and the universe, but are reshaping our focus within the resources available to us — a budget not far from where we have been in recent years, and which enables our wide-ranging science work on many fronts."

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., has managed many of the space agency's robotic exploration missions over the years. Several other NASA field centers play a large role in the Science Mission Directorate's activities, including Ames and Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. 

Space technology

The Space Technology Mission Directorate concentrates on developing the technologies NASA needs for its ongoing and future missions — for example, efficient solar-electric propulsion systems that agency officials say will be crucial to crewed Mars efforts down the road.

Such work is not restricted to NASA research centers; technology development commonly occurs via partnerships with government agencies in the United States and abroad, as well as with academia and private industry.

Space Technology is getting $686.5 million in 2017 — about 3.5 percent of NASA's total budget for the year.

Additional reporting by Nola Taylor Redd, Space.com contributor.

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Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with  Space.com  and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.

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8 Can’t-Miss Experiences At The NASA Visitor Centers

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Mankind’s greatest adventure has been our voyages into outer space. The world has been mesmerized with images of the fragile blue ball we call home from hundreds of miles away. We have been transfixed with our heroics on the moon and thrilled as we watched rockets thunder into the sky.

Across the country, that history is celebrated at the 13 NASA space and science centers. It doesn’t matter if you’re a space geek or a casual observer, the centers offer something for everyone — fascinating exhibits, educational guided tours, immersive IMAX movies, rides, and shuttle simulators that will test your piloting skills. Many places even have snack bars and restaurants.

Here are only a few of the out-of-this-world, can’t-miss experiences waiting for you at NASA visitor centers.

All NASA visitor centers have variable hours (and some are temporarily closed) due to COVID-19. Visit their website for updates on their hours of operation.

1. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Cape canaveral, florida.

When most people think about our space program, they remember images of rockets roaring into a beautiful blue Florida sky. This is the place — the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida.

Out of all of the NASA visitor’s centers, Kennedy has the most to offer — IMAX theaters showing not only space films but documentaries and feature movies as well; guided tours of launch facilities at Cape Canaveral (also known as Cape Kennedy); Astronaut Encounters where you can have lunch with our astronauts, feel the sensation of being launched aboard a space shuttle, and take a tour of the actual space shuttle, Atlantis, with former launch director Mike Leinbach; for the youngsters, the two-story Planet Play playground, and so much more.

However, the big attraction and experience at Kennedy is that you can get the best seats to see an actual launch. Missions (both manned and unmanned) launch almost every week. Very soon, you can have front row seats to see the largest rocket ever built — the Space Launch System (SLS) — take to the sky as we get ready to return to the moon. Visit the center’s Launch Schedule website for the latest schedule and ticket prices.

There are a variety of ticket packages available. Visit the KSC website for details. Keep in mind that launches draw a crowd, so get your tickets early. The center is open 7 days a week, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Remember, though, that Kennedy is a working spaceport, so some attractions (like bus tours) may be closed during launches.

2. Space Center

Houston, texas.

Next to the Kennedy Space Center, Space Center Houston is the second most popular NASA visitor center. Once a rocket is launched from Florida, control of the flight is switched here to the Johnson Spaceflight Center (you know, “Houston, we’ve had a problem”).

As with all centers, the Houston center has plenty of historic artifacts, including the iconic Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control Center, where mission controllers worked to land a man on the moon, but the big draw here is being able to watch astronauts train. A special tram ride takes you to the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, where astronauts train on the latest spacecraft, including the International Space Station and the new Orion spacecraft, that will one day head to the moon and Mars.

Being an active space training facility and mission control center, the visitor center is open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. The center has extended hours for the Christmas Galaxy Lights display that runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thanksgiving through New Year’s weekend.

No matter when you visit, it’s best to purchase your tickets online to avoid crowds.

3. U.S. Space And Rocket Center

Huntsville, alabama.

They call it the “Rocket City” — Huntsville, Alabama . It was here that Dr. Wernher von Braun and his team developed the Redstone rocket that put our first astronaut — Alan Shepard — into space, as well as the Saturn V that landed men on the moon. The U.S. Space and Rocket Center celebrates this history with thousands of historical artifacts.

But it’s not all about history. There are plenty of interactive activities for the explorer in you, like the Adult or Family Astronaut Training programs where you get to do a little astronaut training, take a 5-minute ride on the HyperShip motion-based simulator, experience the force of gravity on the G-Force Accelerator, take a spin on the stomach-churning Multi-Axis Trainer, and more.

For those who want something a little more down-to-earth, bus tours of the Redstone Arsenal, where our space journey began, are also available.

You will also see one of the few remaining and intact Saturn V rockets. In fact, you can’t miss it. It can be seen for miles as you drive along I-565 heading to the center.

And since Huntsville became the burgeoning city it is today due to the German rocket scientists, it’s only fitting that there is a German Biergarten serving up live music and beer spring through fall.

The center is open Monday — Friday 10 a.m. to 4 pm., Saturday 10 to 5, and Sunday 11 to 5. Tickets can be purchased online or at the entrance.

4. Infinity Science Center

Pearlington, mississippi.

A little-known NASA facility located just off I-10 in Pearlington, Mississippi, is the Infinity Science Center at the Stennis Space Center.

Stennis is the site where NASA tests all of their rocket engines. In fact, the largest engines ever built for the Saturn V moon rocket and the new Space Launch System (SLS) are fired up here, and if you’re lucky, you may get to see the show.

Being small in size, Stennis tends to be less crowded but still makes for a full day of exploration. The center has movies and documentaries playing throughout the day in their 3D Immersive Theater, the actual first stage of a Saturn V moon rocket, an Apollo 11 Virtual Reality Simulator, rooms of historical artifacts, guided bus tours of engine test stands, a snack bar, and more.

Infinity is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed on major holidays. Current ticket prices can be found online.

5. Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, california.

Talk about being far out — it doesn’t get any farther than at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California . This is where all of the unmanned satellites that zip through the galaxy — and beyond — are tracked like the Voyagers launched in the 1970s. These satellites are still doing research billions of miles outside our own solar system, and the Mars rovers are trekking across the Martian landscape.

All tours begin with a multimedia presentation, Journey to the Planets and Beyond, then take you to see flight operations and spacecraft assembly.

Tours are available from 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends. Tours are free, but reservations are required. Contact JPL at (818) 352-1234. Valid identification such as a driver’s license is required for entry.

John Huntington / Shutterstock

6. Wallops Flight Facility

Wallops island, virginia.

Looking for more rocket launches? Then head over to Wallops Island, Virginia, and the NASA Wallops Flight Facility . Grab a seat in the bleachers to feel the thunder of large-scale launch vehicles like the Antares or sit on the center’s observation deck for the thrill of a sounding rocket launch.

The visitor center also has many exhibits documenting the history of flight from the Wright Brothers to the Space Station.

Wallops Island is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, July through August, Tuesday through Saturday, September through June, closed major holidays. Admission is free.

7. Virginia Air And Space Museum

Hampton, virginia.

The history of aviation is on full display at the Virginia Air and Space Museum in Hampton, Virginia.

The museum features over 30 historic aircraft and spacecraft, including the Apollo 12 capsule and the first Orion capsule, IMAX movies, and a killer simulator — the MaxFlight, a fully interactive, 360-degree simulator complete with authentic pitch and roll (up and down, side to side) just like an actual airplane. And different planes such as vintage WWII fighters and jets turn the experience into a roller coaster.

Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m., closed all major holidays. Beat the crowd by purchasing your tickets online.

Usa-Pyon / Shutterstock

8. Space Shuttles

Then there are those science and aviation-based museums that, while not an official NASA visitor center, still have some pretty amazing NASA connections — actual flight flown space shuttles.

Docked along the banks of the Hudson River in lower Manhattan , the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Intrepid is incredible on its own, but add to the experience the space shuttle Enterprise that was used for initial testing of the shuttle’s landing capabilities.

The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s annex, Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, plays host to the workhorse of the shuttle fleet, Discovery, which logged in 149 million miles over 39 flights.

And the space shuttle Endeavor has found a permanent home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles .

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Spy X Anya: Operation Memories Review - An Adorable Slice Of Life Cozy Game

Anger foot review: a substantial fps with a sizable campaign, janeway’s final admiral's log is a deep cut star trek: nemesis easter egg.

NASA   is the biggest name in U.S. space exploration, and because of this, it has multiple facilities scattered all across the country. While most government agencies aren't all that exciting, NASA is one of the rare exceptions . Founded in 1958 by Dwight D. Eisenhower, NASA is where almost all major space exploration in the United States starts and ends.

In the six decades since its founding, NASA's been behind some of the most notable missions in space history. It landed the first human on the Moon, played a large role in creating telescopes like Hubble and James Webb, and has plans to send the first humans to Mars in the 2030s. NASA isn't the only large organization attempting to uncover the mysteries of the universe, but it is one of the best at doing so.

Related:  Is NASA Going Back To The Moon? The Artemis Program Explained

Part of NASA's success is thanks to its large footprint all over the U.S. NASA has multiple ground facilities in various parts of the country. Each one plays a critical role in how the organization runs, but none are as important as its headquarters. NASA's HQ is located in Washington D.C. and acts as the  "leadership nerve center for the agency's activities."  This is where NASA executives work together to create new management plans, oversee the organization's Field Centers, and keep a constant watch on the International Space Station.

Where Other NASA Facilities Are Located

But HQ is far from the only facility NASA relies on. Also critical to NASA operations is the Johnson Space Center, located in Houston, Texas. The JSC is best known for housing NASA's mission control operations — and the place astronauts communicate with when talking to 'Houston.' JSC is also responsible for directing NASA's station programs, helps design new spacecraft, and is where astronauts train for upcoming missions. Another famous NASA facility is the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA , the Kennedy Space Center  "prepares the station modules and space shuttles for each mission, coordinates each countdown, and manages space shuttle launch and post-landing operations."

The Marshall Space Flight Center isn't quite as famous as Johnson or Kennedy, but that's not to say it isn't important. Located in Huntsville, Alabama, MSFC is in charge of U.S. and partner experiments happening on the ISS . It's also the facility that created most U.S. modules on the space station, including the critical Environment Control Life Support System. The Ames Research Center is another key NASA facility. This is where NASA carries out much of its research projects, which is very fitting given its location in Moffett Field, California (right within Silicon Valley).

And that's just a small preview of some of the most notable NASA facilities. There's also the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California — responsible for creating NASA's planetary robotic spacecraft (like the Perseverance rover). There's also the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, which is a facility dedicated to helping humanity  " better understand the entire universe ."  The rest of NASA facilities and their locations are as follows: Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California; White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico; Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana; Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi; Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia; Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia; Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; IV&V Facility in Fairmount, West Virginia; and Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio.

Next:  DART Mission Uses A Single-Camera To Reach Asteroid

Source: NASA (1) , (2)

Get Ready to Spot This Once-in-a-Lifetime Cosmic Explosion

No telescope required -- the nova is big enough for Earthlings to see it with the naked eye.

The progression of a nova, as seen here in this animated gif from NASA. The white dwarf pictured attracts decaying material from a red giant that will eventually result in a thermonuclear explosion. 

Seeing cosmic phenomena with the naked eye can be something of a rarity. So when one presents itself, it's a good idea to sit up and pay attention. Like the recent  solar eclipse  and phenomena like the  Aurora Borealis  seen in our skies, there's another dazzling event you'll want to take in as soon as it's possible. It's time to join the swaths of  NASA scientists and astronomers waiting with bated breath to cosmic explosion that'll light up the night sky – and you don't even need a telescope to see it. 

Back in February 2016 , astronomers spread the news that the star system T Coronae Borealis had entered a "phase of unprecedented high activity." Eight years later, that solar activity could result in a nova event large enough to be visible from Earth by the naked eye.

In a nova event, a white dwarf star pulls in solar material from a nearby red giant. When the heat and pressure get too high, the result is a thermonuclear explosion. That makes the white dwarf appear brighter in the sky, but it doesn't disintegrate, and once the explosion dissipates, the star goes back to its original brightness. That massive eruption is a nova.

The nova can be seen with the naked eye for upward of a week after it happens. For that period, it'll seem like a new star has appeared in the sky. According to NASA, the explosion could happen anytime, day or night, between now and September, although scientists say it may take longer. 

What will the nova look like?

Those fortunate enough to be looking at the night sky when the show starts may be disappointed. It won't look as explosive as it really is. According to Dr. Elizabeth Hayes, project scientist for the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, someone looking at the sky when the event occurs won't see anything right away. 

"If they keep watching for the next 24 hours, they will see a faint star appear and gradually brighten," Hayes told CNET. "Of course, someone on Earth will have their view interrupted as the Earth rotates."

"The best time to look by eye will be about one day into the eruption," Hayes said. "But the nova will be visible by eye for a few days."

This  NASA video  shows what it looks like.

The last nova from this star system was in 1946

The cosmic light show is courtesy of T Coronae Borealis, also known as the Blaze Star or T CrB. It's a binary star system comprising a white dwarf and an ancient red giant about 3,000 light years away from Earth in the Northern Crown of the Milky Way. It's part of the Corona Borealis constellation that makes a distinctive "C" shape in the sky, primarily during the summer months. 

The white dwarf, which is the dead remnant of a star, is about the size of Earth but has the same mass as the sun. Meanwhile, the aging red giant is a dying star that's shedding material out into space. The white dwarf's massive gravitational pull is hauling in the ejected material from the red giant. Once the white dwarf has accumulated enough material, the heat increases so much that it causes a runaway thermonuclear reaction. That explosion is called a nova.

The prior nova from this star system occurred in 1946. It's a cycle that's been going on since it was first discovered more than 800 years ago. 

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime event that will create a lot of new astronomers out there, giving young people a cosmic event they can observe for themselves, ask their own questions, and collect their own data," said  Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "It'll fuel the next generation of scientists."

Where is Corona Borealis?

You likely aren't as familiar with Corona Borealis as you are with constellations that are easier to spot, like the Big Dipper. It's difficult to find in the night sky unless it's clear. Light pollution from major cities can also make it more difficult to find.

NASA says the easiest way to find Corona Borealis is to find Vega and Arcturus, the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere. ( Skygazing apps for your phone might help with this.) From there, you can essentially draw an imaginary line between the two. Corona Borealis is almost right in the middle. You can use the graphic below to see what we mean. 

The nova will happen in the Corona Borealis constellation near the Hercules constellation and right between Vega and Arcturus.

Alternatively, you can also seek out the Hercules constellation and Corona Borealis will be right next to it. Remember that you can't see the star in question until the nova pops, so if you look up in the sky before it happens, the spot where the nova will occur won't be visible.

When will the T CrB nova occur?

Nobody knows for sure. Astronomers and scientists only know that the nova is due to erupt at any time. Most of them agree that the nova should take place anytime before about September, although it could take longer.

Since the nova could occur at any moment, NASA is relying on citizen astronomers and space enthusiasts to call it out when the nova happens. 

"Using social media and email, (observers will) send out instant alerts," said Elizabeth Hays , chief of the Astroparticle Physics Lab at NASA Goddard. "We're counting on that global community interaction again with T CrB." 

Early detection can also help NASA collect more data about the event to better understand its mechanics. 

"We'll observe the nova event at its peak and through its decline, as the visible energy of the outburst fades," Hounsell said. "But it's equally critical to obtain data during the early rise to eruption — so the data collected by those avid citizen scientists on the lookout now for the nova will contribute dramatically to our findings."

Do I need a telescope to see the nova?

No. NASA says the nova will be visible to the naked eye on a clear night. It'll also be pretty bright, so it should be fairly noticeable. But as always, folks with telescopes and binoculars will have a better view.

People with high-powered telescopes will see the changes more definitively.

"A telescope that measures the optical spectrum would see something very different from the red giant spectrum," said Hayes. They'll see "nova eruptions emit spectral lines at specific wavelengths. These tell us about the elements in the explosion and how fast the blastwave travels away from the white dwarf."

The nova won't look like an explosion like you see in Michael Bay movies. It'll simply look like another star in the sky that wasn't there previously. 

What's the difference between a nova and a supernova?

Most people have heard of the term "supernova." It's the last dying gasp of a star as it goes dark. That last dying gasp, however, also happens to be the largest explosion ever witnessed by humans, as the star violently ejects material into space. Scientists believe that supernovas are responsible for elements heavier than iron in the universe . Weirdly enough, even the iron in your blood can be traced back to supernovas or similar cosmic explosions.

A nova, on the other hand, requires two stars. One star is always a white dwarf, while the other is usually a red giant.

There are other types of novas as well. Hypernovas are supernovas that achieve a certain size and brightness. Usually, they're about 10 or more times brighter than a standard supernova. Another type, an extremely rare kilonova, occurs when two neutron stars collide, releasing an incredible gravitational wave along with electromagnetic radiation. 

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