A comet approaches Earth
Comet 12P Pons-Brooks can currently be seen in the night sky – even with the naked eye. But things get really interesting with binoculars.
Visible to the naked eye until the beginning of April: Comet 12P Pons-Brooks.
Image: imago
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Earth had a fiery companion at its side a few weeks ago. Comet 12P Pons-Brooks passes by Earth every 71 years, and now it's that time again. In good lighting conditions, Earth's residents will be able to see the comet with the naked eye until the beginning of April. Things get really interesting with binoculars or a telescope.
12B Pons Brooks It is the brightest periodic comet known, named after the two astronomers who first independently observed it: Jean-Louis Pons in 1812 and William Brooks in 1883.
140 years later, a recent image taken by astrophotographer Michael Jagger on the X platform shows the comet's green glow, its so-called coma, and the impressive ion tail trailing behind it. The celestial body rotates on its axis, making the tail appear twisted.
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Comets are composed of dust and metal particles held together by ice. When a comet gets close enough to the sun, its heat causes the ice to evaporate. The so-called coma is formed, which is a glowing envelope of gas around the comet’s nucleus. The water vapor drags dust particles with it, which the comet drags behind it in the form of a white tail.
Core: 30 km in diameter
The closer a comet is to the Sun, the brighter it becomes and the longer its tail becomes. A second, narrower plasma tail is powered by the solar wind: it literally blows away light ions, which is why this second tail always points away from the Sun and can sometimes fly in front of the comet. The core of 12P Pons-Brooks is estimated to be about 30 kilometers across.
Most comets have a highly elongated elliptical orbit. They move almost to the end of the solar system and pass close to the Sun at the center, as 12P Pons-Brooks does. (You can find one here Orbit simulation)
A few months ago, it was possible to see from Earth how the comet was approaching its turning point. On its return trip, the comet almost crossed the center of the solar system. On April 21, 12P Pons-Brooks reached the closest point on its journey to the Sun, at a distance of 0.78 astronomical units (AU), roughly the distance between the Sun and Venus. 12P Pons-Brooks will approach Earth on June 2, at a cosmologically close distance of 1.55 AU, which still corresponds to about 230 million kilometers.
The comet will approach Earth on June 2
A change of perspective reveals that the comet is essentially diving under the Sun, relative to Earth's orbit. However, when it approaches Earth in June, the comet will only be visible from the Southern Hemisphere. The best viewing opportunities from the Northern Hemisphere are until early April. The comet sets around 10:30 pm, and darkness occurs due to the appearance of the new moon on April 8.
Because the comet and Earth move relative to each other, their position in the sky is constantly changing. In the evening and morning hours, 12P Pons-Brooks wanders through the constellations Andromeda, Pisces, and Aries. Exact calculations of when the comet will be visible and where it can be found on online star charts such as Stellarium.
Important data for comet observers
If you want to spot the rare cosmic visitor in the sky, you can note two dates: A good evening for observing would be March 31, assuming clear skies. The comet will then be only half a degree west-northwest of the bright star Hamel. You can estimate half a degree by literally measuring your thumb: If you raise your outstretched hand to the night sky, the width of your thumb corresponds to approximately two degrees. Anyone aiming at Hamal binocularly should be able to see the 12P Pons-Brooks.
There's another good sign on April 10: The young crescent moon will then be right above the comet. But in the meantime, you should be able to catch the comet with binoculars and sufficient darkness. Sky watchers shouldn't miss this: the next chance to see 12P Pons-Brooks from Earth won't come until the summer of 2095.
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