Watch the exploding green 'devil comet' zoom past the Andromeda Galaxy in a stunning livestream this week

[Judi Lynn]

By Harry Baker published 4 days ago

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is currently sailing past the Andromeda Galaxy in the night sky as it races toward Earth, and you can watch it live this week.



A bright green comet with a long tail
The green colored comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is currently racing toward the sun before a close encounter with Earth later this year (pictured March 4). (Image credit: Michael Jäger)

An explosive, green comet racing toward Earth is currently zooming past the nearby Andromeda galaxy in the night sky, setting the stage for some stunning photographs. You can also watch the comet fly past our spiralling galactic neighbor in real time, thanks to an upcoming livestream.

Comet 12P/Pons Brooks (12P), also known as the devil comet, is a 10.5-mile-wide (17 kilometers) comet that circles the sun on a highly elliptical orbit every 71 years or so. 12P is a cryovolcanic, or ice volcano, comet. This means that it occasionally erupts when solar radiation cracks open its icy shell, or nucleus, allowing it to shoot out a combination of ice and gas, known as cryomagma, into space. When this happens, the cryomagma massively expands 12P's coma — the cloud of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus — making the comet appear much brighter for the next few days.

In July 2023, astronomers watched 12P blow its top for the first time in almost 70 years, and it has erupted reasonably frequently ever since. During the comet's early eruptions, 12P's expanded coma grew lopsided thanks to a notch in its nucleus, making it look like it had grown a pair of demonic horns. However, following more-recent eruptions, the horns seem to have disappeared for good. Newer photos of the comet also show that it has developed a green glow, which is caused by high levels of dicarbon (two carbon atoms stuck together) in its coma and tail, which is quite rare.

12P is expected to make its closest approach to Earth on June 2 after first slingshotting around the sun in late April. After it passes us, it will then journey back into the outer reaches of our cosmic neighborhood, where it will spend a majority of the next 70 years.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/space/comets/watch-the-exploding-green-devil-comet-zoom-past-the-andromeda-galaxy-in-a-stunning-livestream-this-weekend

[marble falls]

1. I keep looking for an economical used telescope. One of these days, maybe.

[Attilatheblond]

4. Any local armature astronomy clubs in your area?

Several of them in our area and they do public viewing events several times a year. Many of the members are great sources for info on scopes.

[marble falls]

5. I'm a little far from Austin, but I'll give it a shot.

[Attilatheblond]

6. Call local colleges that might have a department or at least classes

I have found educators to be very good resources for information on topics they teach or are engaged in as hobbies.

I live in an AZ border town, not exactly a hub of science, but we do have good skies and many retired profs around here.

Good Luck!

[marble falls]

7. We out in the boondocks, man.

[Attilatheblond]

8. No phones? No internet?

I used to live in the most remote town in the lower 48 and I still got info when I needed. Just gotta reach out and try.

[Fritz Walter]

2. This is cool! And a bit creepy for me right now...

In 1898 H.G. Wells published "The War of the Worlds".
Then in 2006, Jeff Wayne's musical version was released on video. It includes background images of "green objects" propelled into space approaching Earth. They look eerily familiar to the comet.
I rediscovered that composition a couple weeks ago -- being a huge Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) fan, I play it often (while I'm working at another screen). His vocals add so much depth to the opening of the piece. And they add a tremendously strong emotional effect to the plot (which I won't spoil for you here). Richard Burton's voice as narrator is likewise effective for this Boomer.

Check it out!

?si=IdjF7g4ix6-J6-AV

[Judi Lynn]

3. Never had seen this before. Wow! Can definitely see why you would think of it in relation to this celestial event! ☄️

The experience of seeing it in person would be overwhelming, disorienting for some. A lot of effort involved in the creation.

Thank you.

👽

[Deuxcents]

9. I have a great app on my iPhone and iPad called Sky View Lite and it's free

You can get more advanced apps with this but I enjoy mine. I point my iPad, usually because my screen is bigger, to the sky and it tells me what constellation, planet, I’m looking at. A full moon is too cool. I can see the space station and I’m going to look for this comet, too. I just pointed my iPhone to my ceiling and Virgo is right above my house and it maps the stars … Libra is above my hallway and shows T LIB star. It shows the direction and Leo is above my headboard tonight. I’m am no student of the universe but I am delighted and fascinated with just these simple findings. The planets are so clear so if you’re looking for some fun, give this site a try.

Thanks ever so much, Judi Lynn, for your great posts that inspires me to learn and have fun doing it 🙏