“More than Everest”: the huge Devil’s Comet approaches the Earth

A comet “larger than Everest” could become visible to the naked eye this month. A comet like Halley’s, which orbits once every 71.3 years, will be easier to spot when it passes by bright stars, astronomers say.

A comet larger than Mount Everest could become visible to the naked eye in the coming weeks as it continues its first visit to the inner solar system in more than 70 years, astronomers say.

According to The Guardian, the icy body is a Halley-type comet, which means it will appear once or possibly twice in a human lifetime. Indeed, Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is known to complete its orbit once every 71.3 years and is scheduled to make its closest approach to the Sun on April 21.

Although some reports suggest that Comet 12P/Pons-Brookes was seen as early as 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 next orbit in 1883.

The celestial body is believed to have a core of about 30 km (20 miles) in diameter and is classified as a cryovolcanic comet, meaning it erupts with dust, gases and ice as pressure builds up inside it as it heats up.

One such flare last year caused it to become a hundred times brighter and earned it the nickname “Devil’s Comet” after the haze surrounding it formed a horned shape.

Although the comet – and its green hue – has already been spotted in the night sky, experts say it is expected to become even brighter in the coming weeks. “The comet is expected to reach a magnitude of 4.5, which means it should be visible from a dark location in the UK,” said Dr Paul Strom, an astrophysicist at the University of Warwick.

“The comet is moving from the constellation Andromeda to Pisces. At the same time, it passes by bright stars, which will make it easier to spot on certain dates. Specifically, on March 31, 12P/Pons Brooks will be just 0.5 degrees away from a bright star called Hamal,” said Dr. Strom.

But Dr Robert Massey, deputy chief executive of the Royal Astronomical Society, argues that even if the comet does brighten, it will still be difficult to see, adding that basic instruments such as small telescopes would help greatly.

“If you have half-decent binoculars, definitely try searching with them,” advises Dr. Massey, adding that sky-mapping apps have also been helpful.

The best views of the comet can currently be found in the northern hemisphere. Massey said those who want to catch a glimpse of it should go outside on a clear evening and look west-northwest as twilight ends. “You want to avoid haze, you want to avoid moonlight, you want to avoid light pollution.”

Dr. Strom says that, along with asteroids, comets have often been viewed as untapped building blocks of the solar system, providing insight into the conditions under which it formed.

Massey spoke of the satisfaction of seeing a comet that had only been seen a few times since its official discovery. “That in itself is a pretty nice thing to think about,” he said.