Green Comet Zooms Past Andromeda Galaxy: Watch the Spectacle in Real Time
A breathtaking celestial event is currently unfolding in the night sky as a green comet races towards Earth, zooming past the nearby Andromeda galaxy. This rare spectacle promises to deliver stunning photographs and can even be witnessed in real time through livestreams. The comet in question is known as Comet 12P/Pons Brooks (12P), or the devil comet, and it measures a whopping 10.5 miles wide. With its highly elliptical orbit, it completes a journey around the sun every 71 years or so.
What makes this comet particularly fascinating is its cryovolcanic nature. Referred to as an ice volcano, 12P occasionally erupts when solar radiation cracks open its icy shell, allowing a combination of ice and gas, known as cryomagma, to shoot out into space. This eruption causes a massive expansion of the comet’s coma, which is the cloud of gas and dust surrounding its nucleus. As a result, the comet appears significantly brighter for several days.
In July 2023, astronomers witnessed 12P’s eruption for the first time in nearly 70 years, and it has been erupting quite frequently ever since. During its early eruptions, the comet’s expanded coma appeared lopsided due to a notch in its nucleus, giving it the appearance of demonic horns. However, recent eruptions seem to have caused these horns to disappear. Additionally, newer photos reveal that the comet has developed a striking green glow, a rare phenomenon caused by high levels of dicarbon in its coma and tail.
On June 2, 12P is expected to make its closest approach to Earth after slingshotting around the sun in late April. Following this encounter, it will continue its journey into the outer reaches of our cosmic neighborhood, where it will spend most of the next 70 years. As it hurtles towards the inner solar system, 12P can now be spotted in the same part of the night sky as the Andromeda galaxy, a spiral galaxy located approximately 2.5 million light-years away from the Milky Way. It is worth noting that the Andromeda galaxy is destined to collide with our own galaxy in about 4.5 billion years.
Fortunately, you don’t have to rely solely on your imagination to witness this extraordinary conjunction. The Virtual Telescope Project will be hosting two livestreams that will showcase the cosmic spectacle in real time. These livestreams will capture the comet’s journey as seen from the project’s observatory in Manciano, Italy. The first livestream will take place on Sunday, March 10, at 2:30 p.m. ET, followed by another on Tuesday, March 12.
Currently, the best time to observe the wide conjunction is just above the horizon after sunset. While Andromeda is visible to the naked eye with clear skies, spotting 12P will require a good telescope, camera, or a decent pair of stargazing binoculars. The comet is located approximately 10 degrees below the galaxy, which is about the same width as your fist when held up to the sky.
The Virtual Telescope Project has already captured a stunning long-exposure shot of 12P and Andromeda shining side-by-side. Additionally, astrophotographer Petr Horálek has managed to capture a series of breathtaking images of the pair from Slovakia. These images also feature the Triangulum galaxy (M33) and the star Mirach, which are clearly visible alongside Andromeda.
This isn’t the first time that 12P has photobombed a cosmic structure. In January, the comet passed in front of the Crescent Nebula, a massive cloud of ionized red gas located 5,000 light-years away from Earth. Astrophotographers are eagerly anticipating the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, hoping to capture the comet in its close proximity to the temporarily obstructed sun. If 12P erupts in the days leading up to the eclipse, it may even be visible to the naked eye during totality.
The green comet’s journey past the Andromeda galaxy is a rare and awe-inspiring event that allows us to witness the wonders of our universe. Whether through livestreams or with the aid of telescopes, this celestial spectacle is not to be missed. So mark your calendars and prepare to be captivated by the beauty of Comet 12P/Pons Brooks as it graces our night sky.