Share your observation of the Blaze Star (T CrB). Your observation should include the following:

• Name
• Date & Time
• Location
• Magnitude (brightness)
• How Observation was made

For more information, visit Blaze Star Observing Challenge. To receive the Astronomical League's special certificate, observe one time BEFORE the star goes into outburst, and one time AFTER the star goes into outburst.

Mike Toomey wrote:

I've noted a slight dimming... 10.3 perhaps. I would rather have a bit of an average over a few nights though before concluding that.

Observed the Blaze Star for several hours this evening after setting up my 6-inch SCT on AZ-EQ5 Skywatcher mount in my driveway in NW Gainesville. Initially, the star was quite difficult to see using a 25mm Plössl eyepiece. Switching to a 20mm Lanthanum eyepiece gave more eye relief and a bit more magnification, which darkened the field. With that eyepiece, T CrB was seen pretty easily with direct vision. I estimated its magnitude as 10.3, because it seemed closer in brightness to the 10.6 star than to the 9.9 star. The 11.2 comparison star was also visible through the 20mm eyepiece. To find the Blaze Star, aim the scope at epsilon (ε) CrB, then go due south about 1 degree, and the object will be in the field of view. The scope was configured with a star diagonal, so I used the AAVSO reversed chart. Will report the visual observation this evening to the AAVSO. Light pollution makes it so much more difficult to see objects visually anymore.

Mike, my installation of SkySafari confirms exactly what you've noticed. The asteroid #2 Pallas makes a close approach to T CrB (the "Blaze Star") on the evening of June 23. Of historical interest is that Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers discovered Pallas in 1802, only the 2nd asteroid (after Ceres) to be discovered. Some years later, Olbers asked his famous question:  "Why is the sky dark at night, if the universe is infinitely large?" Like you, I have noticed Pallas getting closer to T CrB every night, and look forward to the evening of June 23 when it will be in conjunction. Who knows, this might be the night that T CrB (the Blaze Star) goes into outburst.  Seriously, the Blaze Star is well worth watching every night from now until September to see if we can catch it on the rise to 2nd magnitude.

• Name:  Mike Toomey
• Date & Time:  June 18, 2024; 11:30pm MDT
• Location:  Albuquerque, NM
• Magnitude:  +10.25
• How Observation was made:  Photographic with Seestar S50, 60s exposure. (Have not applied advanced techniques yet... meaning to get to that).

Likewise, Andy, I'm also watching asteroid Pallas in the same FOV as TCrB this evening.  Still exposing... had to wait out the clouds for 3 hours. And if you trust my dreadful math (I certainly do not), 12 arc minutes at closest approach is what I came up with ... or 2,630 light years, depending on your perspective.

Pic attached.