São Paulo – Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, better known as “Devil’s Comet”, can be seen in Brazil and the rest of the Southern Hemisphere this Sunday (21). The object takes around 71.3 years to complete one revolution around the Sun.
On April 21st, it will become more visible, as it will be at the closest point to the Sun. Since April 7th, observers have been following the passage of the celestial body in the Northeast Region, as the states located further north of the country will be the first to see the comet in the sky.
According to the astronomer at the National Observatory, Filipe Monteiro, it will not be possible to see the Devil’s Comet with the naked eye because of the intensity of its brightness, which cannot be predicted. Therefore, it is necessary to use devices such as binoculars and telescopes. The best time for observation will be between 5:40 pm and 6:30 pm.
“Observers should look to the western horizon, in the same direction as the sunset, to see the comet. The comet is visible shortly after sunset, first below the Constellation of Taurus, and from May onwards, below the Constellation of Orion, always around 5:40 pm to 6:30 pm. The biggest difficulty will be finding a place with a clear western horizon, since the comet is very low in the sky, at a height of around 15 degrees”, explains the astronomer.
On June 2nd, the Devil’s Comet will be very close to Earth, but visibility will not be good.
Why is it called the “Devil’s Comet”?
12P/Pons-Brooks is a Halley-type comet, that is, short-lived between 20 and 200 years (long-lived comets can exist for thousands of years). It was first discovered, in 1812, by the Frenchman Jean-Louis Pons. Then, in 1883, it was rediscovered independently by the Englishman William Robert Brooks.
The name Devil’s Comet only appeared on July 20, 2023 after records made by astronomer Elek Tamás, from the Harsona Observatory in Hungary.
“The astronomer noticed that the comet was considerably brighter, as it had probably suffered an explosion or ‘outburst’, that is, an unexpected release of gas and dust that caused its brightness to increase significantly. This cometary explosion also distorted the coma [nuvem ao redor do cometa] in the shape of a horseshoe or horns and, therefore, many media outlets nicknamed the object ‘Devil’s Comet’”, said Filipe Monteiro.
The name is not related to anything evil, warns the National Observatory.
According to the National Observatory, the comet is also compared to the Millennium Falcon spacecraft, from the Star Wars franchise, as it appears to have “horns” in its shape. Therefore, astronomers are investigating how these “horns” appeared.
“One of the hypotheses, for example, is that the comet is expelling gas and dust unevenly. Perhaps there is an area of the surface that is not releasing vapor, while areas on either side are sublimating ice. Or perhaps it is a shadow effect, where denser material or even the topography at the center of the comet appears to block some of the bright material behind it from our point of view”, says the organ’s note.
Comets are objects composed of frozen gases, rock and dust. When they get closer to the Sun, they become active because the heat warms the comet and the ice turns into gas. From there, a cloud forms around the comet, called a coma.
Where to follow the phenomenon in São Paulo
Some locations in the capital of São Paulo are privileged spots to see the sunset and then the comet. Check out:
- Sunset Square: Rua Desembargador Ferreira França, S/N, Alto De Pinheiros; opening hours: 24 hours; free entrance
- Santander Lantern: Rua João Brícola, 24 – Historic Center of São Paulo; opening hours on Sunday: from 9am to 8pm; entry: R$30
- Ibirapuera park: av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, s/n; opening hours: from 5 am to midnight; free entrance
- Aclimação Park: Rua Muniz de Souza, 1119 – Aclimação; opening hours: open every day, from 5am to 10pm; free entrance
* With information from the National Observatory, Agência Brasil and Guide of the Week