A unique horned devil comet is heading to Earth: how and when to see it
The rare Pons-Brooks comet, or horned devil comet, will pass overhead in the coming weeks.
Last year in July, due to an unexpected outbreak, the comet became about 100 times brighter, and the cloud of dust and gas surrounding its nucleus (coma) expanded and began to resemble a horseshoe shape, Space.com notes. Because of this, the horned comet became known as the Devil’s Comet.
“This comet was first discovered by astronomer Jean-Louis Ponce on July 12, 1812. At first, he described it as a shapeless object with no visible tail. However, over the next month, the comet became so bright that it could be seen in the night sky with the naked eye. Further calculations showed that the comet would take about 65-75 years to fly around the Sun,” the report said.
On September 2, 1883, the American comet observer of British origin William Brooks saw this comet again, so now it bears the names of both researchers.
The reasons for the comet’s brightness flashes are not known for certain, but some astronomers suggest that Comet Pons-Brooks is a rare representative of a group of comets with volcanic activity on the surface.
By the end of March, the brightness of the comet may reach the fifth magnitude and, therefore, it can be seen with the naked eye. However, it is better to use binoculars or a telescope if possible.
“Those in the northern hemisphere will be able to see the comet until April 21, when it will come as close to the Sun as possible. After that, the object will drop below the horizon and become visible to residents of the southern hemisphere. It is best to observe the comet in clear weather from the countryside – away from city lights,” the Starwalk program website reports.
This year, a unique comet that has not been seen by 80 thousand people will pass by the Earth. years. The celestial body C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) will shine brighter than the stars, so the comet will be visible to the naked eye. Since the comet itself is very rare, only a limited amount of information is known about it. At the same time, experts report that it is very large.
At the moment, the comet is traveling at 290,664 km/h. It is now between Saturn and Jupiter. It is expected to come to the minimum distance from Earth on October 13, 2024.
If C/2023 A3 manages to remain intact, it will be visible through non-professional telescopes as early as June 2024.
