Astronomers, astrophysicists and scientists Astronauts in general are on the alert for the arrival of Comet ‘Diablo’. It is a space rock three times the length of Mount Everest.
The particular comet is given the scientific name 12P/Pons–Brooks. It was discovered in 1812 by the French astronomers Jean-Louis Pons, Alexis Bouvard and Vincent Wisniewsky, so their path is followed later. It has an elliptical orbit around the Sun, taking over 71 years to orbit the massive star.
This characteristic is enough to understand why it attracts so much attention from scientists; He is not a frequent traveler beyond our borders. At its perihelion with the Sun it is less than 1 AU away, about 120 million kilometers from the massive star and 66 million kilometers from Earth, making it visible from our sky.
The comet has been in the news this year after scientists observed volcanic activity on its surface, leaving a trail on its interstellar journey through the solar system.
“Devil’s Comet” twice the size of Everest is approaching Earth.
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This is Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, a strange celestial object that passes close to Earth every 70 years, and closest point to Earth is scheduled for April 21, 2024 (perihelion). pic.twitter.com/eTjl32wElT— 𝕃 𝕃𝕃𝕃𝔸𝔸⁷ ∞∃⊍𝕃 ≈ ᑕOTᗰIᑕ ᗰᗴᗖᗰIᑕ October 26, 2023
MVS news It reports that the closest point between Earth and the comet will be on April 21, 2024, 13 days after a total solar eclipse passes over North America. Its distance is not a cause for concern due to impact. It is practically impossible for it to collide with us. }
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is an active cryovolcanic comet, meaning it releases icy material into space. It is characterized by its bursts, which are sudden outbursts that can increase its brightness by up to 5 magnitudes.