“The Devil Comet” — a rare galactic phenomenon the size of Mount Everest that can only be seen by humans about every 70 years — may soon be visible with the naked eye as it barrels toward Earth.
The especially bright extraterrestrial treat — formally known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks — is making its way through the inner solar system and can currently be seen with a telescope or binoculars.
But by the end of March, the comet may be able to be seen with the naked eye at dusk in the Northern Hemisphere against the zodiacal constellation Aries in the western horizon, according to Space.com.
It will continue to make its extraordinarily bright presence known during next month’s total solar eclipse and by April 21, will arrive at its closest distance to the sun before fading from sight in the Northern Hemisphere in May.
It will then be visible from the Southern Hemisphere before disappearing from view from Earth until 2095 again.
“While the comet will become a little brighter, it will likely stay a binocular object” in many places, said Elizabeth Warner, director of the University of Maryland Astronomy Observatory, to the Washington Post.
Still, “from dark locations, it might be visible to the naked eye.”
The comet recently earned its devilish nickname over an unexpected brightness flare-up, which some media outlets likened to the horns of a devil.
More flares, which cause exponential brightness increases, are possible this month, scientists say.
The flare-ups’ causes are unknown, but some experts have speculated that the comet may have active ice volcanoes that explode, causing the flashes of brightness.
Another flare-up could coincide with April 8’s solar eclipse, which can be observed in the US that afternoon from within a narrow band of totality that stretches from Texas to Maine.
“If the comet experiences an outburst that makes it slightly brighter, it might be visible” to the left of the sun near Jupiter at that time, Warner said.
But comet expert John Bortle called the prediction a “fantasy,” saying Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks has already gotten much brighter as it approached the sun, so any additional flareups would not be as noticeable.
“As a result the outburst brightness cannot overwhelm the overall brightness of the comet’s coma as easily,” Bortle said.
Either way, Lori Feaga, a professor who studies comets at the University of Maryland, told the outlet, “Of course, the real show is the eclipse, so don’t miss enjoying that by spending the entirety of totality hunting for the comet.”
