The mysterious ’12P/Pons-Brooks’ comet will thrill skywatchers as it whizzes near Earth this month. Nicknamed the ‘Devil Comet’, this icy wanderer elicits intrigue with its explosive outbursts and massive size.
Amateur astronomer Biswajit Bose recently spotted it as a bright speck, sparking excitement online. The comet will grow brighter as it heads towards the Sun, with its closest approach on April 21st.
Dr Bharat Adur says it may surpass magnitude 5, making it visible even from light-polluted cities. The periodic visitor was first sighted over 200 years ago but erupts so violently that its shape resembles devil horns.
It is more than twice the size of Mount Everest, with a whopping 30 km broad! By June, the comet, travelling at the speed of light, will pass 232 million kilometres close to Earth.
Skywatchers will be in for a treat when they travel close to Jupiter on April 8th during the solar eclipse. Astronomers were also fascinated by its spectacular antics in December.
The Amateur Astronomers Association is planning public outreach to spread the word about the experience. Many people likely missed the 1954 perihelion crossing.
’12P/Pons-Brooks’, a strange object, swoops past in a cosmic display that looks at the tremendous wonders outside our globe.
