A comet, which appears in our night sky every 71 years when it passes Earth, can now be seen.

Currently, a comet that appears every 71 years is able to be seen in the night sky with the aid of binoculars or a small telescope.

Astronomers suggest that 12P/Pons-Brooks is increasing in brightness and there is a chance that it may be visible to the naked eye in the upcoming weeks.

According to Dr. Megan Argo, an astrophysicist at the University of Central Lancashire, it has experienced multiple instances of increased activity, resulting in intermittent increases in brightness.

She stated, “We may have the fortune of witnessing another one in the coming weeks as it moves across the sky.”

Comets are cosmic bodies composed primarily of particles of dust, rock, and frozen water.

Dr. Argo described them as enormous, unclean masses of snow.

The comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, named after its discoverers Jean-Louis Pons and William Robert Brooks, spends majority of its time in the far reaches of the solar system, where temperatures are extremely low. It returns to the inner solar system every 71 years, earning it the classification of a recurrent comet.

According to Dr. Argo, when the comet approaches the sun, the heat causes the ice to transform directly into gas, a process known as sublimation. This results in some material being removed from the comet’s surface.

According to her, this particular gas creates two distinct formations around the comets: a cloud surrounding the nucleus called a coma, and a tail that can extend for millions of miles in outer space.

The comet’s tail is composed of gas and dust that has been forced away by the sun’s solar wind. This tail is what creates the stunning display visible from Earth.

According to Dr. Argo, the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is in the process of forming a beautiful tail, but it is still not clearly visible without binoculars or a telescope at this time.

If you are searching for the comet, you can find it positioned below and a bit to the left of the Andromeda galaxy.

Stuart Atkinson, an amateur astronomer based in Cumbria, has been tracking the object for some time, taking photos on his Canon 700D DSLR camera.

According to him, the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks should currently be able to be seen with the naked eye, but due to light pollution in most inhabited areas, a pair of binoculars or a telescope would be needed for visibility.

Mr Atkinson, who has written 14 books on astronomy, said: “Over the next few week or so it will brighten a little more, but the moon is in the sky now, and its brightness will dim the comet.”

According to him, the optimal method for viewing the comet is to locate an area with clear, unobstructed views of the sky, free from tall vegetation, structures, or elevated terrain.

According to him, you will require binoculars to observe the comet, and even then it will appear as a blurry star with a faint trailing tail.

Fortunately, there is a luminous celestial body that is in close proximity to the specified planet – Jupiter. Therefore, if you move your binoculars in the direction to the right of Jupiter, at a gradual pace, this will assist in locating the desired object.

Many individuals believe that comets zoom through the sky at a rapid pace, similar to shooting stars. However, this is not accurate. Comets actually only have slight movements each night, resulting in their presence in the sky for an extended period of time.

Mr. Atkinson recommends utilizing either a tripod-mounted DSLR camera or a telescope for those interested in capturing photographs.

He stated that the comet would not be visible to phone cameras due to its small size and faintness. The only way to capture it is by using the “night mode” or an astrophotography app, but even then, it may be difficult to capture with a phone camera.

Source: independent.co.uk