Get ready for an intriguing cosmic spectacle! Learn about the colossal ‘horned’ comet heading our way and uncover the mysteries behind its fascinating journey.
Scientists have issued a warning about a colossal comet named 12P/Pons-Brooks, often dubbed a “horned” comet due to its peculiar characteristics, which has undergone a second eruption in a span of four months and is currently on a trajectory towards Earth. This cryovolcanic comet, as defined by Live Science, measures a staggering 18.6 miles (30 kilometers) in diameter and experienced its most recent eruption on October 5th.
This eruption marks the second instance of activity from this comet within the past four months, with its previous celestial event occurring in July. The British Astronomical Association (BAA), responsible for closely monitoring 12P, detected this explosion when they noticed that it had significantly increased in brightness due to the light reflected by the cloud of gas, known as its coma, surrounding its core.
Over the subsequent days, the coma of the comet continued to expand, eventually forming its distinctive “horns,” as reported by Live Science. Some experts humorously noted that the irregular shape of the coma gives the comet an appearance akin to a science fiction spacecraft, such as the Millennium Falcon from the ‘Star Wars’ franchise.
The exact cause of these peculiar horns remains uncertain; nonetheless, experts speculate that they may be linked to the unique shape of 12P’s nucleus. Richard Miles of the British Astronomical Association suggested, “The two ‘horns’ may be caused by a peculiarly-shaped cryovolcanic vent with some sort of blockage causing the material to be expelled with a weird flow pattern,” as reported by the New York Post.
Despite the seemingly ominous trajectory of 12P, there is no immediate cause for concern regarding a potential “deep impact.” Scientists have clarified that this comet will not reach its closest point to Earth until 2024, at which time it will be visible to the naked eye. Following this close encounter, the comet will be propelled back into the solar system and will not make its cosmic return until the year 2095.
Notably, this marks the second eruption of 12P since July 20, breaking a 69-year period of dormancy. During the previous eruption, the horn-like emissions were an astounding 7,000 times wider than the comet itself. Live Science reported that the exact size increase of the coma during the most recent eruption remains unknown, but there are indications that this outburst was approximately twice as intense as the prior one. It is presumed that by now, the coma has receded to its usual dimensions.
The comet, originally discovered by Jean-Louis Pons on July 12, 1812, is renowned for being one of only 20 known comets with active ice volcanoes, making it an object of great interest in the field of astronomy.
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