"Devil's Comet" visits Earth and is visible to the naked eye

Astronomy enthusiasts are preparing for a unique event that could make a comet larger than Mount Everest visible to the naked eye of skywatchers in the coming weeks.

It is expected that "Devil's Comet" will become visible as it passes near Earth in the next few weeks, during its first visit to the inner solar system in more than 70 years, according to astronomers.

This icy body is a Halley-type comet because its orbit around the sun puts it in the same category as the most famous space rock in history (Halley's Comet), which takes about 75 years to orbit around our star, unlike thousands of years like most comets, and thus this comet will appear. Once in a lifetime, or maybe twice in a lifetime.

In fact, Devil's Comet, officially known as 12P/Pons-Brooks, or 12P for short, completes its orbit once every 71.3 years, and is expected to reach its closest approach to the sun on April 21.

While some reports suggest that 12P/Pons-Brooks was observed in the 14th century, it is named after the French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons, who discovered it in 1812, and the British-American astronomer William Robert Brooks, who observed it on its next pass in 1812. 1883.

The comet's nucleus is believed to be about 30 km (20 miles) in diameter, and it is classified as a "cold volcanic" comet, meaning it erupts with dust, gases and ice when pressure builds up inside it as it heats up.

One of these explosions last year increased its brightness by a hundredfold and gave it the nickname “Devil’s Comet” after the fog surrounding it formed a shape resembling horns.

While the comet has already been spotted in the night sky, experts say it is expected to become brighter and visible to the naked eye in the coming weeks, away from light pollution.

Dr Paul Strom, an astrophysicist at the University of Warwick, said: “The comet moves from the constellation Andromeda to the constellation Pisces. As it does so, it passes bright stars which makes it easier to spot on certain dates. In particular, on March 31, it will be 12P/Pons. -Brooks is only 0.5 degrees away from the bright star called Hamal.

The comet is expected to reach its maximum brightness next month, a few days before the total solar eclipse on April 8, while its closest approach to Earth will be in June.

Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere may now be able to catch a glimpse of the comet using special tools, such as binoculars, under clear skies free of light pollution at an altitude of about 20 degrees above the west-northwest horizon.

By the end of March, the comet will become brighter and will be visible to the naked eye with the constellation Aries in the background.