2023-12-29 14:11:52
Comet P12/Pons-Brooks. This has already been discussed several times on Futura in recent months (see previous articles below). Because in its inexorable race towards our Sun — it will reach perihelion next spring — it has already erupted several times. And spectacularly so.
But make no mistake, these are cryovolcanic eruptions. Which occur when the ice core of a comet sublimates — that is, when it goes from a solid state directly to a gaseous state — under the effect of heat. Eruptions that astronomersastronomers have long thought were unpredictable.
A rash every 15 days!
However, through observations of comet P12/Pons-Brooks, they ended up perceiving a trend. The explosions seem to happen every 15 days or so. A period which coincides with that of the rotation of the comet. And which suggests that P12/Pons-Brooks has a super cryovolcano which offers us the spectacle of an eruption every time the sun rises on it.
The next explosion is therefore planned for this Friday December 29 or Saturday December 30, 2023. So, to your telescopes…
This strange comet which is approaching Earth continues to transform before the eyes of astronomers
For the fourth time since this summer, astronomers report a sudden increase in the luminosity of comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, a sign of gas emission resulting from its heating as it approaches the Sun . If the comet’s activity had already been noticed, astronomers documented its largest explosion on November 14, giving it the appearance of a pearly green sphere.
Article by Gaspard SalomonGaspard Salomon published on 11/20/2023
Since this summer, astronomers from around the world have had fun observing the evolution of comet 12P/Pons-Brooks along its path towards our Sun. For the fourth time, starting in July, the comet’s brightness suddenly began to increase, causing it to shine with magnitude 9 in the constellation Hercules. According to astronomers, this sudden increase in brightness is a sign of its increasingly turbulent activity, as it approaches our StarStar.
Binoculars, glasses or telescope? If you want to start observing, we tell you everything in these episodes of Futura dans les Étoiles. © Futura
An increasingly active comet
The comet 12P/Pons-Brooks returns to visit us approximately every 71 years: it is a so-called periodic comet, whose highly elliptical orbitorbit brings it closer to the Sun before moving away once more into the confines of our Solar SystemSolar System, at a maximum distance from our Star of 33.8 astronomical unitsastronomical units — beyond the orbit of NeptuneNeptune. It will reach its closest point to the Sun in spring 2024, and will visit us once more in 2094.
Composed among other things of icy materials, the comet heats up as it approaches the Sun, leading to the sublimationsublimation of part of its core, which passes from the solid state to the gaseous stategaseous state . We are talking here regarding cryovolcanic activity: under the effect of the increase in pressure, the gases dig a path towards the surface of the comet and escape towards space, forming a trail of gas and dust behind She.
Very erratic activity
If its previous peaks of activity had given it the appearance of a horned monster, this last explosion this time transformed it into a pale green ball, crossed by a curved line of dark color. The appearance of horns was associated with the supposedly irregular shape of the comet’s nucleus, and the explanation might also be valid for the formation of this strange structure; but some astronomers offer other explanations, reports the site Spaceweather.
The curved line might in fact be the shadow of a specific plume of gas, a sign of an escape of mattermatter at a localized location on the surface of the comet. Its activity is highly unpredictable, and its appearance can change from one night to the next! It is possible to track your location live on the site The Sky Guide.
This comet with horns is once once more resuming its volcanic activity!
Article by Gaspard Salomon, published on November 14, 2023
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks once once more attracts the attention of astronomers, suddenly gaining brightness. Already known to sky enthusiasts, the activity of the comet had already been observed twice, along its trajectory towards our Sun. Its volcanic activity gives it the appearance of a horned monster, and delights its observers.
For the third time since this summer, astronomers report a sudden increase in the brightness of comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, making it shine this past November 2 with a magnitude 12 in the constellation of Hercules. Signs of gas emission, resulting from its heating as it approaches the Sun.
Cryovolcanic eruptions which increase its luminosity
First spotted in 1812 by the French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons, then rediscovered in 1883 by the American astronomer William Robert Brooks, 12P/Pons-Brooks is a so-called periodic comet, that is to say it completes a complete orbit (or revolution) in a relatively regular time interval. Like every 71 years or so, it is regarding to reach its closest point to the Sun, which tends to warm it up as it approaches our star.
As it heats up, the icy core of the comet sublimates, going from a solid state to a gaseous state. We then speak of cryovolcanic activity: the gases make their way towards the surface of the comet and escape towards space, forming a trail of gas and dust behind it which suddenly increases its luminosity. In the case of comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, the brightness increased almost 100-fold in just a few days! Its horned monster appearance seems to be due to the irregular shape of its core.
Unpredictable cryovolcanic activity
As it approaches the point in its orbit closest to the Sun – perihelion, which it will reach in spring 2024 – cryovolcanic activity can be expected to resume once more. But its activity is difficult to predict, and amateur astronomers keep their telescopes trained on this visitor.
After reaching its perihelion, 12P/Pons-Brooks will once once more return to the confines of the Solar System, with a maximum distance from the Sun (or apheliaaphelion) of 33.8 astronomical units, i.e. beyond the orbit of Neptune. It will reach perihelion once more in 2094. You can follow the evolution of the comet live using the guide The Sky Guideas well as its current position in our Solar System.
Article by Nathalie MayerNathalie Mayer, published on October 17, 2023
Last July, comet P12/Pons-Brooks attracted the attention of astronomers by suddenly gaining in brightness. The result of an eruption, the researchers then explained. And now she has just done it once more. Once once more, she has adorned herself with funny ice horns that make her look like the Millennium Falcon.
The comet P12/Pons-Brooks had already made waves this summer. As it continued quietly towards Earth – it should reach its closest point to the Sun in April 2024 – its brightness suddenly increased dramatically. The cause was an explosion that occurred on its surface.
Repeated eruptions on the cryovolcanic comet
Or rather we should talk regarding an eruption. Because comet P12/Pons-Brooks is what astronomers call a cryovolcanic comet. It can erupt when the Sun warms its core. The pressure then builds until a cloud of ice is ejected into space through cracks in the comet’s crust.
This is what happened to P12/Pons-Brooks last July. And once once more this October 5, announced researchers of the British Astronomical Association. After another flare, astronomers noted that the comet had become dozens of times brighter. In the days that followed, she found herself once once more adorned with some kind of horns.
Horns due to an irregular shape of the comet
The researchers believe that the particular shape that comet P12/Pons-Brooks takes at the time of these eruptions – a shape which is necessarily reminiscent of that of the Millennium Falcon of Star Wars — is due to an irregularity in the shape of its nucleus. During the July eruption, its comacoma had thus expanded until it reached 7,000 times the size of said nucleus. And, even if the numbers are not yet in, this eruption seems to have been twice as intense.
As it moves closer and closer to our Sun, comet P12/Pons-Brooks is expected to experience more flares of this kind.
The Millennium Falcon photographed in space? No, a giant comet that exploded!
Article by Dorian Schaepmeester on 30/07/2023
An unexpected event has surprised astronomers observing the Dragon constellationDragon constellation over the past few days. Comet P12/Pons-Brooks experiences a sudden increase in its brightness, possibly due to an explosion: the halo of the star is now adorned with a pair of luminous “horns”.
A “comet with horns”. This is the nickname given by the Anglo-Saxon media to comet 12P/Pons-Brooks since July 19. On that day, astronomers around the world watched an explosion on the surface of the celestial body, greatly and suddenly increasing its brightness. The event took place on the cometary nucleus of 12P/Pons-Brooks, with a diameter of 34 by 12 kilometers (i.e. dimensions similar to Halley’s cometHalley’s comet). Its brilliance increased, surpassing its usual average by five times. Internet users, thanks to the Virtual Telescope project, have photographed the comet: the latter now presents a particularity, the highlight forming two sharp asperities, similar to horns. Crossing the Solar System and currently lying 3.9 astronomical units (regarding 448 million kilometers), well beyond Mars, the apparent magnitude of 12P/Pons-Brooks dropped from 16.6 to 11.6 during of the explosion. Maintaining a magnitude of 11.6, the comet remains invisible to the naked eye. She is nevertheless perceptible with an astronomical telescope or telescope.
Imminent approach to the edge of the Earth
Possibly observed in the 14th and 15th centuries, P12/Pons-Brooks was formally identified by the French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons in 1812. With an elliptical trajectory, the orbital periodorbital period of the comet is 71 years. In April 2024, it should reach perihelion, its closest point to the Sun. It will approach the vicinity of Earth a few days later: it will then potentially be visible in the night sky, hypothetically reaching a magnitude of 4.5.
Notice to astronomers in the northern hemisphere, P12/Pons-Brooks is currently located in the “head” of the Dragon constellation, near Ursa Minor. Given its low magnitude, the comet is only visible with powerful telescopes. For the most patient, you will have to wait eleven months to admire the object which will illuminate the celestial vault for a few days, from April to June 2024.
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