The impressive images left behind by Comet Diablo’s passage through Brazil and Mexico

2024-04-22 20:57:52

The celestial spectacle has captivated millions of people across the southern hemisphere the passage of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, known as the Devil’s Comet. Since its closest approach to the sun this Sunday, this astronomical phenomenon has produced a unique visual spectacle that has been documented in various regions, including Brazil and Mexico.

In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, cameras from the company MetSul Meteorologia captured impressive images of the comet on the first night of its visibility in the region. This comet, discovered in 1812, has been nicknamed the Devil’s Comet because of its peculiar behavior and the shape of its tail, which resembles a pair of horns.

(Read more: Comet Diablo: in which US cities will it be visible and what will it look like? ).

With an estimated diameter of 29 kilometers, three times the size of Mount Everest, this star is classified as a Halley comet, characterized by its short orbital period around the Sun, according to the National Observatory. Comet Diablo takes about 71.3 years to complete its orbit.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this comet is its cryovolcanic activity, which makes it stand out in the sky. Experts such as researcher Theodore Kareta explain that these periodic eruptions generate a sudden increase in brightness, allowing observation even without the need for professional telescopes.

And today #devilkite in some parts of the Mexican Republic. It can be seen from April 14 to 30 during sunset, weather permitting. #Climate. From there, until the year 2095, it will pass here again. 🙌😱☄️ pic.twitter.com/JiF8EwAAhS

— Solovino News (@SolovinoNews) 22 April 2024

(Continue reading: Stories from the cosmos: Dragons on the roof).

Composed mainly of ice, dust and small rock particles, Comet Diablo exhibits unique volcanic activity as it approaches the Sun. The internal pressure increases until gases expand and icy debris is ejected through large fissures, creating an impressive visual spectacle for terrestrial observers.

Eliot Herman, an amateur astronomer and retired professor at the University of Arizona, has been following this comet’s path closely. According to his observations, Comet Diablo has experienced several bursts of cryovolcanic activitywhich has generated an unusual brightness as it passes through the sky.

(You may be interested in: ‘Devil’s Comet’: how and when can this asteroid be seen from Colombia? ).

The spectacle will continue for the next few weeks, with the comet coming even closer to Earth in June, before being launched back into the outer solar system, where it will not be visible again until the year 2095.

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*This article was created with the help of artificial intelligence with information from OGlobo (GDA) and was reviewed by a journalist and an editor.

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