On Sunday, April 21, comet 12P/Pons-Brooks (Ponce-Brooks), known as «Devil’s Comet», «Horned Comet», or «Millennium Falcon», has become the most visible in the sky. The celestial body, which visits the solar system once every 71 years, has reached perihelion — the point in its elliptical orbit when it is closest to the Sun.
This rare comet occasionally produces bright flares, which are the reason for its common nicknames. These outbursts are fueled by dust, rocks, and ice that are heated by the Sun and converted to gas, forming a glow around the comet that resembles horns or wings.
The 17 km wide object is on a trajectory that brings it to a distance of 116.8 million km from the Sun at its maximum approach. This means that Comet 12P will be most visible from Earth a few nights before and after reaching perihelion, when it will be at its brightest. Under favorable conditions, observers will be able to see it without special equipment.
To spot the comet, in the middle and southern latitudes of North America, you need to look at the constellation Taurus just after sunset. It will be just below the constellation, with a bend in the shape of «V» Taurus pointing downward. The comet will appear to the left of Jupiter, which will look like a bright pale yellow ball. At this point, you should look for a rounded, thin spot of light, perhaps a faint tail, extending up and to the left of the bright central region, or you may see a glow surrounding the comet’s nucleus.
There is a chance that it will be visible to the naked eye in dark places with clear skies, but a small telescope or binoculars will certainly make it more likely to spot the comet. Observers in northern latitudes may find it difficult to see the comet as it will pass in the glow of the setting sun.
If the comet releases one of its flares during its close approach to the Sun, it will glow longer and brighter, making it easier to observe. Another favorable opportunity to observe it will be on June 2, when it comes closer to the Earth, but until then it will be visible only in the southern hemisphere.
Source: Space.com