Comet 12P has grown “horns” after a volcanic eruption. Scientists have not seen such phenomena over the past 69 years.
The cryovolcanic comet 12P, approaching the Earth, during its flight turned out into space flows of cold “magma” resembling “horns”.
About it informs Space.
Comet 12P with a diameter of about 30 km consists of a solid core filled with a mixture of ice, dust and gas. It has a cloud of gas around it, escaping from the interior of the comet. Scientists call it a coma.
Also read
July 20 several astronomers recorded a powerful flash from a comet. It was about 100 times brighter than usual. This is because the comet’s coma suddenly swelled up due to gas and ice crystals, so it was able to “beat off” more of the sunlight, which scientists saw.
Already on July 26, it was recorded that the comet’s coma had grown to about 230,000 km in diameter, or 7,000 times the size of its nucleus.
As British Astronomical Association astronomer Richard Miles explained, the unusual shape of Comet 12P’s coma may be due to the irregular shape of its nucleus. Later, the expanded coma will disappear when the gas and ice become too diffuse to reflect sunlight.
It is noted that scientists have not seen such phenomena over the past 69 years.
Astronomers estimate that the comet will reach its closest point to the Sun on April 21, 2024 and will make its closest approach to Earth on June 2 of that year.
Recall that the dangerous asteroid 2018 BG5, 55 m in size, is rushing towards the Earth – this is like the average size of a passenger airliner.
Read also:
Subscribe to our channels at Telegram and Viber.
