This Week In Space podcast: This Week In Space podcast: Episode 121 —An Exploding Star Near You!

On Episode 121 of This Week In Space , Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik discuss a star about to go nova with astrophysicist Dr. Carlos Badenes.

A nova is a star that periodically sheds mass in a huge flare-up of light and energy. This nova will be visible in the night sky for about 6-7 days!

T Corona Borealis (TCrB) is a binary system comprising two stars in the constellation Corona Borealis that bursts into magnitude 2 (as seen from Earth) about every 80 years--and should do so again by mid-September! Join us.

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Space news of the week

• NASA’s Perseverance Rover Scientists Find Intriguing Mars Rock
• NASA Did Not Say It Found Life on Mars. But It’s Very Excited About This Rock.
• 50 days after launch to ISS, Boeing Starliner astronauts still have no landing date
• Mercury has a layer of diamond 10 miles thick, NASA spacecraft finds

Model Falcon 9!

Looking for a telescope to see planets and comets? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide .

Finally, did you know you can launch your own SpaceX rocket? Model rocket maker Estes' stunning scale model of a Falcon 9 rocket that you can pick up now. The launchable model is a detailed recreation of the Falcon 9 and retails for $149.99. You can save 10% by using the code IN-COLLECTSPACE at checkout , courtesy of our partners collectSPACE.com.

About This Week In Space

This Week in Space covers the new space age. Every Friday we take a deep dive into a fascinating topic. What's happening with the new race to the moon and other planets? When will SpaceX really send people to Mars?

Join Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik from Space.com as they tackle those questions and more each week on Friday afternoons. You can subscribe today on your favorite podcatcher.