The page of the National Astronomical Research Institute posted that it said: Come have a chance to see a comet. 12P/Pons-Brooks That is gradually increasing in brightness and will orbit closest to the Sun in late April 2024, so it may become brighter and be visible to the naked eye in the night sky. It is one of the comets worth following at the beginning of this year.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks It is classified as a comet of the same type as Halley’s Comet (1P/Halley), which means it has an orbital period of 71 years around the Sun. Therefore, it is classified as a comet. “Periodic comets” were first discovered by French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons in 1812 and rediscovered in 1883 by American astronomer William Robert Brooks. Hence the origin of the name comet. It’s 12P/Pons-Brooks.
This comet orbits the sun in a fairly elliptical orbit. The closest point to the Sun is only 116 million kilometers (0.77 AU), while the furthest point is 4,965 million kilometers (33.2 AU). This is when comets are usually at their brightest. This will be the period when the comet orbits closest to the sun. This is because the comet’s nucleus will receive more energy and radiation from the sun. This causes a large cloud of dust and gas to spread out. which is now a comet 12P/Pons-Brooks It is orbiting closer and closer to the sun. April 23, 2024 will be the day the comet orbits closest to the sun.
From the forecast by the website theskylive.com Comets can have apparent brightness values of up to magnitude 4.42, similar to the apparent brightness values of the Orion Nebula (M42) and open clusters in the constellation Canis Majora (M41). This means that if the sky is sufficiently dark, During the period when the comet is closest to the sun The comet will be visible to the naked eye. The expected apparent brightness ranking is only a preliminary estimate. Actual brightness depends on many factors. The comet may be brighter or less bright than expected.
So which direction do we have to look? And what time?
During this time, the comet appeared in the Andromeda constellation on the western horizon. Observations can be made in the early evening after sunset from today onwards, during the time when the sun is setting behind the horizon. Comets only have an elevation angle of about 12 degrees, so they only have a short time in the sky before they set behind the sun. The comet’s low angle may also make it difficult to observe due to atmospheric pollution. The comet will then gradually change position and move towards the constellation of the Ram (Aries) in late March. It will move towards the constellation Taurus in late April, when the comet is likely to be at its brightest. *See illustrations in the comments*
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks It is classified as one of the brightest short-period comets. and has an orbital period similar to Halley’s Comet That means In a person’s lifetime there will only be one opportunity to observe this comet. Before the comet orbits away from the sun, it slowly fades into space. Then it will come back close to the sun for us to see again in the next 71 years.
12P/Pons-Brooks How much brightness can be increased? Will it appear as a comet stretching across the sky for us to see beautifully with the naked eye? Come join in the excitement together.
