The Narrett National Institute for Astronomical Research invites the public to view Comet 12b/Pons Brooks, which is increasing in brightness and will orbit its closest point to the Sun in late April 2024. It can be seen with the naked eye in the night sky. It is one of the comets worth monitoring at the beginning of this year.
Today (March 8) Facebook fan page NARIT, National Institute for Astronomical Research. Come for the chance to see the comet. 12 B / Pons Brooks It is gradually increasing in brightness and will revolve around the sun in late April 2024, so it may become brighter and can be seen with the naked eye in the night sky. It is one of the comets worth monitoring at the beginning of this year.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is classified as a comet of the same type as Halley's comet (1P/Halley), which means that its orbital period is 71 years around the sun, and therefore it is classified as a comet. “Periodic comets” were first discovered by French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons in 1812 and rediscovered in 1883 by American astronomer William Robert Brooks. Hence the origin of the comet's name. It's 12B/Pons-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 farthest point is 4,965 million kilometers (33.2 AU), and 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 forecasts from theskylive.com
Comets can have apparent brightness values of up to 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 when the comet is closest To the Sun, the comet will be visible with the naked eye, and 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.
So in which direction should we look? And what time?
During this time, the comet appeared in the constellation Andromeda on the western horizon. Observing can be done in the early evening after sunset from today onwards, during the time when 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 setting behind the Sun. The comet's low angle may also make it difficult to observe due to atmospheric pollution. The comet will then gradually change its location and move toward the constellation of Ram (Aries) in late March. It will move toward the constellation Taurus in late April, where the comet will likely be at its peak brightness. *See the illustrations in the comments*
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.
12 B / Pons Brooks How much brightness can be increased? Will it appear as a comet extending across the sky so that we can see it beautiful with the naked eye? Come and join the excitement together.
pointing to :
https://theskylive.com/12p-info
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_magnitude
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