In addition to countless stars, the moon and a few planets, you can currently discover another shining thing in the night sky: the so-called devil’s comet. Comets are celestial bodies made of ice and rock. These are huge chunks traveling in space. On their journey through space, comets lose dust, which they trail behind them like a long tail.
The Devil’s Comet is one of the most famous comets. It got its name because when you looked closely it used to look as if the comet had two green horns. Scientists call the Devil’s Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks (pronounced: twelve pi/ pons brucks).
Only every 71 years
What’s special: the Devil’s Comet can only be observed from Earth every 71 years. This means that most people only have the opportunity to see it once in their life. And now it’s that time once more. The next time the Devil’s Comet will probably only be observed from our planet is in 2095.
But simply look up into the sky and see the comet – unfortunately it’s not that easy. You don’t have to be a professional to spot the Devil’s Comet, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The most important thing is that it is a clear night. This means that the sky should not be cloudy, you should be able to see the stars clearly.
This is how you find the devil’s comet
You should also go somewhere where there isn’t a lot of light to observe. If there are a lot of street lights and the like, it is harder to see anything in the night sky.
You also need the right “tools”. If you look at the sky with the naked eye, the Devil’s Comet is very difficult to see. The best way to observe it is with a telescope. But you can also see it with binoculars.
Best prospects
And when is the comet visible? The best time to see it is regarding an hour and a half following sunset. And in the West. This is the direction in which the sun sets. The Devil’s Comet is probably easiest to find between April 10th and 13th. Because there it is in the night sky between the moon and the noticeably bright Jupiter.
This is an article from the current issue of KinderNachrichten – the OÖNachrichten weekly newspaper for 6-12 year olds. Further information: www.kinder or try it for free: www.kinder/testen
