Time is running out for you to see Pons-Brooks, the devil-horned comet that appears once every 71 years. Last seen by humans on Earth in the 1950s, the comet is prone to explosions, or unexpected flares of brightness.
“This is an extraordinary comet,” said Eliot Herman, a retired biotechnologist at the University of Arizona and an astrophotographer who has been tracking Pons-Brooks for months. “Not only does it get brighter as it approaches the sun, but also the comet changes dramatically every day,” he said.
The comet, a green ball of ice, drew public attention in July, when it appeared to sprout horns after blasting through its dusty atmosphere. Some liken the shape of the comet to the Millennium Falcon spacecraft used by Han Solo and Chewbacca in the Star Wars franchise. The comet had a series of additional explosions in the fall, including one on Halloween.
In December, Pons-Brooks had hints of a tail. That feature became longer and more prominent in early March as the comet sailed closer to the sun. Some hoped it might brighten enough to be seen during the total solar eclipse on April 8, but it was not visible unaided during the event.
There are only a few days left to see Pons-Brooks before it reaches the point where it is closest to the sun on April 21. At that stage, known as perihelion, sunlight will block the comet from view.
To see the comet, Bill Cooke, an astronomer who heads NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, recommends going outside at dusk and scanning the western horizon with binoculars or a telescope. Look for Jupiter, the brightest object in the night sky other than the moon. Pons-Brooks is on its lower right.
But don’t expect to see its characteristic devil horns. “The horns are gone now,” said Dr. Cooke. “It’s more like the typical comet that people see.”
In about a week, the comet will descend below the horizon, disappearing into the northern sky. People in the southern hemisphere may be able to see the comet until May, although it will appear fainter.
After that, Pons-Brooks will say goodbye to stargazers on Earth for another seven decades as it begins another trip around our sun.
