Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks earned the moniker “devil comet” after an eruption last year sculpted its tail into two distinct trails of gas and ice, resembling the iconic shape of devil horns.
The “devil comet,” known for its occasional outbursts, is currently visible in the night sky, and lucky stargazers may even spot it during next month’s solar eclipse.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks earned its nickname due to an eruption last year that left it with two distinct trails of gas and ice in the shape of devil horns.
Currently visible from the Northern Hemisphere with binoculars and telescopes, the comet may be visible to the naked eye by the end of the month as it swings through the inner solar system, reaching its closest point to the sun in mid-April.
Comets, which are frozen remnants from the solar system’s formation, typically have a core of dust, gas, and ice surrounded by bright gas clouds called a coma. Solar radiation can heat a comet’s core, leading to outbursts, as seen with Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks.
To spot the comet, look toward the west-northwest horizon in the early evenings. It is expected to brighten through the end of the month and remain visible until early May, weather permitting.
If the comet flares significantly, it could be visible during the total solar eclipse on April 8, but only to those in the path of totality. This path cuts across the U.S. from Texas to Maine, where the moon will fully block the sun’s light.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks was discovered in 1812 by French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons and observed again in 1883 by British-American astronomer William Brooks. It takes 71 years for the comet to orbit the sun, making sightings rare.
