You can already mark a very special day in your calendars: The day when an extremely rare stellar explosion will cast a bright light on the night sky is just around the corner. We will all witness a nova, as a result of which a completely new star will appear in the sky. For weeks, this star will shine brighter than anything else around it. You don't even need a telescope to witness this cosmic spectacle, you can see the nova with your own eyes for weeks.