Look to the night sky tonight for the kind of starry spectacular not seen for 57 years.
The brightest supernova will its peak tonight, allowing star gazers to see a star explode millions of light years away.
Astronomers predict we will be able to glimpse the brightest supernova since 1954.
The exploding star will be visible all over Britain if there is a clear sky, and enthusiasts are recommended to find their binoculars and choose a spot away from street lights to view it.
The spectacle is caused as the disintegrating star hurls untold amounts of radiation and dust into space at incredible speeds.
It is visible because the star is in a galaxy relatively close to our own Milky Way – a mere 21million light years away.
Scientists at Oxford University used the powerful Hubble telescope to spot the star on August 24, but it is now at its maximum brightness so the rest of us, without the benefit of such equipment, can also get a glimpse.
After a couple of days the star will fade away and be visible only with a telescope until around mid-October.
The best way to spot it is in the first few hours after nightfall, by looking east of the ‘handle’ of The Plough constellation, otherwise known as the Big Dipper.
Dr Mark Sullivan, the astrophysicist leading the Oxford team examining the supernova, said: “This is accessible to anyone with a decent pair of binoculars. For many it could be a once in a lifetime chance to see a supernova blossom and then fade before their eyes.
“We may not see another like it for perhaps over 100 years.”
Scientists study supernovas as they help to reveal how the universe continues to expand.
