Contrary to what the name might suggest, Satan's comet poses no danger to us. The celestial body, officially known as 12P/Pons-Brooks, is approaching our planet, but with no chance of collision. In certain parts of the Northern Hemisphere, it can already be seen with the help of astronomical observing instruments.
Why is Satan guilty?
Discovered by French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons in 1812, it earned the nickname 12P/Pons-Brooks due to an explosion in July 2023. On that occasion, its coma – the collection of dust and gas surrounding its core – was distorted. Take on a horned appearance.
Observing Satan's Comet
The celestial body is becoming more and more visible. Currently, it has a magnitude of 5.0, making it brighter than the planet Uranus itself. Southern Hemisphere countries, such as Brazil, will be able to view it from April 19 or 20, when it reaches its maximum brightness.
Brightness and visibility
At its peak brightness, Comet Satan can reach a magnitude of 3.0. Even with this density, its detection may be compromised by the comet's proximity to the Sun and urban light pollution.
Locate 12P/Bons-Brooks
Tools such as the Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight apps, which allow you to identify astronomical objects, can be useful in determining the location of the celestial body. With the help of these, you just need to search for the Devil's Comet and point your cell phone towards the sky at the best time for observation.
Brightest comets of 2024
Comets are huge structures made of dust and ice that revolve around the Sun, and in 2024, in addition to Comet Satan, other comets will stand out for observation, such as: C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-Atlas), and 13P/Olbers. , 62P/Tsuchinshan 1, and 144P/Kushida.
The effect of pollution on sky observation
Light pollution from urban centers can make it difficult to observe astronomical phenomena. At the same time, paradoxically, the refraction and scattering of artificial light can sometimes make the sky more dazzling.
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