“Devil's Comet” is already visible in the Northern Hemisphere and can be observed in Brazil | Sciences

Over the next few weeks, astronomy enthusiasts will have the opportunity to observe one of the brightest comets known to scientists as… 12b/ponce brooks It becomes visible in the night sky.

At the moment, Devil's cometThis celestial body, as it is widely known, is approaching our planet (without any risk of collision), and therefore, in some places, such as the Northern Hemisphere, it is now possible to observe it with the help of instruments.

12P/Pons-Brooks, discovered by French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons in 1812, gained its “satanic” nickname due to an explosion that occurred in July 2023, which distorted its coma, that is, the cloud of dust and gas surrounding its core. In the form of horns.

The comet has already become brighter to observe, with its current magnitude of 5.0 (the lower this number, the brighter the object becomes). Brighter than the planet Uranus in our solar system.

However, in Southern Hemisphere countries, such as Brazil, it is only close to… April 19 or 20 The comet will become visible.

At that time, it will reach its maximum brightness, and will likely reach Size 3.0This is according to specialized measurement platforms.

This means that it will be visible with the naked eye or binoculars, Although the comet's proximity to the Sun in the sky can make observations difficult, especially in urban areas with light pollution, such as the city of São Paulo.

To locate 12P/Pons-Brooks in the sky, stargazing apps for mobile phones such as Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight can be useful, as they allow the identification of many astronomical objects, as well as comets.

Simply search for Devil's Comet in these apps' search tool and point your cell phone toward the sky near the best time for observing.

The brightest comets of the year ☄️

Comets are large bodies made of dust and ice that revolve around the sun. Among the most prominent observations this year are the following stars:

• C/2021 S3 (Panstars). Visibility period: January to June. Maximum brightness: March. Visibility: Binoculars, in dark skies, during the early hours of the morning.
• C/2023 A3 (Tsouchenshan-Atlas). Visibility period: September to November. Maximum brightness: Oct. Visibility: late morning (early October) and early evening (end of October) with binoculars.
• 12P/Pons-Brooks (or Devil's Comet). Visibility period: February to June. Maximum brightness: April. Visibility: Binocularly, early evening.
• 13 F/Olbers. Visibility period: June to August. Maximum brightness: July. Visibility: Binocularly, early evening.
• 62B/Zouchenshan 1. Visibility period: January to March. Maximum brightness: Jan. Visibility: Binoculars during the early morning hours.
• 144 F/Kushida. Visibility period: January to February. Maximum brightness: Jan. Visibility: Through small telescopes, in a dark sky, during the early evening hours.