As of: March 7, 2024, 7:17 p.m
By: Tanja Banner
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Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is getting brighter and is now visible to laypeople with binoculars.
An expert gives tips for observation.
Munich - The comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which attracted attention in the past due to its “devil horns”, now appears without these striking features, as impressive images from comet expert Michael Jäger on the platform X (formerly Twitter) show.
The celestial phenomenon is now also interesting for laypeople who have small binoculars.
With such binoculars and clear skies you can spot the comet in the sky in March and early April.
Surname: |
12P/Pons Brooks |
|---|---|
Discovery: |
July 12, 1812 |
Discoverer: |
Jean Louis Pons and William Robert Brooks |
Orbital period around the sun: |
71 years |
Comet nucleus size: |
approx. 30 kilometers |
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks becomes visible in the sky
Uwe Pilz from the Association of Star Friends (VdS) explains to
merkur.de
from IPPEN.MEDIA: “The comet is now as bright as the stars visible with the faintest eye – from the dark sky on land.”
However, he adds: “Since it is not too high above the horizon, you will not be able to see it with the naked eye.” In binoculars, however, 12P/Pons-Brooks is a “simple object, certainly for experienced people”. With a little practice I can also see a small tail.
How to find comet 12P/Pons-Brooks in the sky
To spot the comet, a clear view to the west is an advantage, as 12P/Pons-Brooks can be seen there in the evening.
Pilz recommends first looking for the star Alpha Andromedae – the upper left star of the Pegasus quadrangle – using an app or a rotating star map.
“This star should have been found around 7:30 p.m.
It is second in size and easy to see with the naked eye,” says Pilz.
The search for the comet can then begin, which will be slightly above the star to the right until the weekend (March 9th/10th).
Search map for comet 12P/Pons-Brooks until March 10, 2024. To find the comet, you should first look for the upper star of the Pegasus quadrangle, Alpha Andromedae, recommends expert Uwe Pilz from the Association of Star Friends (VdS).
© Association of Star Friends
Pilz gives the following advice for searching with binoculars: “If you place the star at the bottom left edge of the binoculars, the comet appears at the top right.” The expert has another tip for beginners: “If you don’t know your way around well, should first look for a fuzzy star.
That's him!
When it gets completely dark, the comet appears clearer until it becomes fainter again because it is too close to the horizon.”
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Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is best seen in late March
According to Pilz, the comet should be best seen at the end of March.
It is possible to observe it until around April 10th.
“The comet is then closer to the horizon and has to be observed at twilight,” explains Pilz.
From March 29th to April 2nd, the expert advises to first look for the star Alpha Arietis using a star map or app.
“But since the comet is now much brighter, it stands out in binoculars.
The tail should be easily recognizable.”
Under certain conditions it might even be possible to see Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks with the naked eye.
“For this to happen, the sky has to be very transparent,” warns Pilz.
“It's best when it has just rained and then 'moves up'.
The observation does not necessarily have to take place from a pitch-dark location, as it is twilight anyway.
But transparency is important,” emphasizes the expert.
Comet C/2020 F3 (Neowise) was visible to the naked eye in the sky in summer 2020.
(Archive image) © IMAGO/MICHAEL OKIMOTO
12P/Pons-Brooks is one of the short-period comets
The comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which is one of the short-period comets, takes 71 years to orbit the sun.
On April 21, 2024, it will reach the point of its orbit closest to the Sun, the so-called perihelion, and will then be around 116 million kilometers from the Sun.
On June 2, 2024, the comet will approach Earth at a distance of about 225 million kilometers.
However, it will no longer be visible from the northern hemisphere at this point.
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