Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks was first discovered by French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons in 1812, but was observed again in 1883 by British astronomer William Robert Brooks. Like the Devil’s Comet, its last observation occurred in the mid-1950s, but it will soon be visible to Brazilians.
According to a scientific article, that the comet is larger than Mount Everest, which is approximately 9 kilometers high; By the way, the diameter of the cosmic object may be about 17 kilometers. Scientists explained that the measurement was made using the brightness emitted by 12P/Pons-Brooks, but they could not yet confirm the measurement with direct observations.
Astronomers claim that Devil’s Comet has a short period and is similar to Halley’s Comet in that it orbits the Sun every 71.2 years. The celestial object was called the devil’s comet because of a random explosion that expelled gas and cosmic dust, thus reaching a brightness of about 100 times brighter than normal – this happened in July 2023.
The explosion caused a horn shape on the comet’s tail, but it soon returned to normal and erupted again in early March. Scientists haven’t yet figured out the reason for this appearance, but they believe it has to do with the irregular way the comet expels gas and cosmic dust.
How to observe a ‘horned comet’
Visibility of the ‘horned’ in Brazil will begin on April 21, but its closest point to Earth will only occur in June — In the Southern Hemisphere, the comet will be visible between April and May.
Observation times depend on each viewer’s region; The main reason for this is that sunset times are different across the country. To watch the show, you must look towards the western horizon in the same direction as sunset; The North and Northeast regions will be the best observation points.
When is the best time to observe Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks?
- In the north, the devil’s comet can be seen until 19:50 in the evening, especially in Acre;
- In the Northeast it will be possible to observe the event between 17.45 and 18.20;
- In Rio de Janeiro, spectators can watch the event until 18.20.
The object was already visible in the Northern Hemisphere, but once it reaches its closest orbital point to the Sun on April 21, it will be easier to view it from the Southern Hemisphere. After the comet approaches Earth in June, it will be gravitationally pulled into the outer Solar System and will return only in 2095.
“The visibility of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks varies. It is quite active and can appear very bright when close to the Earth. At other times it can only appear faint. The comet will reach its closest point to the Earth in June 2024. European Space Agency (ESA) explains in an official publication:
Did you like the content? Read more interesting facts about comets at TecMundo. If you want, take the opportunity to understand how a Brazilian was able to discover the largest comet ever seen on Earth.
Source: Tec Mundo
I’m Blaine Morgan, an experienced journalist and writer with over 8 years of experience in the tech industry. My expertise lies in writing about technology news and trends, covering everything from cutting-edge gadgets to emerging software developments. I’ve written for several leading publications including Gadget Onus where I am an author.
