Don't miss seeing Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks before it passes away and will be seen again 71 years from now.

During this time, after sunset in the early evening. If the sky is clear one day we will have a chance to see. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks It is bright and can be seen with the naked eye until the end of April 2024, because this is the time when the comet orbits close to the Sun.

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks It is classified as a “short period comet” (periodic comet) of the same type as the famous Comet Halley (1P/Halley) It has an orbital period of about 71 years, and was first discovered by Jean-Louis Pons French astronomer in 1812 and rediscovered in 1883 by William Robert Brooks American astronomer Hence the origin of the comet's name. 12b/ponce brooks

This comet revolves around the Sun in a somewhat elliptical orbit. The closest point to the Sun is only 116 million kilometers (0.77 AU), while the furthest point is 4,965 million kilometers (33.2 AU). This is the time when comets are usually at their peak brightness. This will be the period during which the comet orbits close to the Sun. This is because the comet's nucleus will receive more energy and radiation from the Sun. This causes a large cloud of dust and gas to spread out. Which is now comet 12b/Pons-Brooks and is orbiting the sun closer and closer, and April 23, 2024 will be the day the comet orbits close to the sun.

From predictions from theskylive.com, comets could have apparent brightness values ​​up to magnitude 4.42, similar to the apparent brightness values ​​of the Orion Nebula (M42) and the open clusters in the constellation Canis Majora (M41), meaning that if the sky is dark enough, during… The period during which the comet is closest to the Sun and the comet will be visible to the naked eye, the expected apparent brightness rating is only a preliminary estimate. Actual brightness depends on many factors. The comet may be brighter or less bright than expected.

During this time Comet 12b/Bonce-Brooks observations can be made in the early evening after sunset from today onwards. By the time the sun sets behind the horizon, comets have an elevation angle of only about 12 degrees, so they only have a short time in the sky before they set behind the sun. The comet's low angle may also make it difficult to observe due to atmospheric pollution. Then the comet will gradually change its location and move to the constellation of Ram (Aries) at the end of March. It will move toward the constellation Taurus in late April, where the comet will likely be at its peak brightness.

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is one of the brightest short-period comets. It has an orbital period similar to Halley's Comet, meaning there will only be one opportunity in a person's life to observe this comet. Before the comet orbits away from the Sun, it slowly fades into space. Then it will return close to the sun for us to see again within the next 71 years.

Thanks for the information – reference image
– www.skyatnightmagazine.com
– www.spektrum.de
– National Institute for Astronomical Research, Nareit