Like the infamous Halley’s Comet, the devil comet is a rare sight. Also known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, it takes about 71 years to complete a single orbit around the sun. Although it’s been getting closer to Earth recently, it’s just now becoming visible to those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. In fact, tonight through the end of March will be our best viewing time!
If you want to make the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you’ll need to do a few things. First, if possible, you’ll want to go to an area away from lots of light. Next, you might need binoculars or a small telescope, depending on where you are.
Experts Say Now is the Perfect Time to View the Rare Devil Comet
“The comet will brighten a bit as it gets closer to the sun, and it should be visible to the naked eye low in the west about an hour after sunset,” both Dr. Paul Chodas, manager of the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, and Davide Farnocchia, navigation engineer, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, share.
Then, on April 8, something even more spectacular will happen. Because the devil comet will be about 25 degrees away from the sun, it’ll be visible during the total eclipse! The timing is incredibly rare, making the rest of this month and the next truly unforgettable!
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