2023-10-26 15:10:26
MétéoMédiaEditorial team
Published on October 26, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
A giant comet will pass near Earth for the first time in 71 years.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is one of the brightest known. It is therefore relatively easy to observe with the naked eye. It has a core approximately 30 kilometers in diameter, which makes it a fairly large comet. Particular fact: ice volcanoes are even present on its surface and produce what is called “cryomagma”, composed of volatile elements such as water, ammonia or methane.
It is an orbital celestial body, meaning it rotates around the Earth cyclically. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is therefore visible without an instrument every 71 years.
It will also make a notable passage in the sky, and should be visible to the naked eye on April 21, 2024, where it will be at its closest point to the Sun. It is therefore likely to shine with all its lights.
Everything indicates that we will be able to see it a second time, on June 2, 2024. This will be when it will be at its closest point to Earth, approximately 232 million kilometers.
It would even be possible to see it during the solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 in certain regions. The comet would be about 25 degrees from the sun during this event.
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