Mother of Dragons Comet Now Visible in the Northern Hemisphere in Rare Celestial Phenomenon, Marking First Appearance Since 1954

On April 8, a total solar eclipse will sweep the US, Canada, and Mexico. Before this astronomical event, another celestial phenomenon to watch out for was the rare comet passing by Earth after seven decades.

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons/ Jan Beránek)

Explosive Green Comet

A rare comet with a green head is currently visible to skywatchers. Officially known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, the formerly-horned Halley-type comet can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere after duske. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), this celestial body orbits around the Sun once every 71 years and was last seen on Earth in 1954.

The comet will make its closest approach to the Sun on April 21, resulting in its brightest appearance in the night sky. Meanwhile, it is expected to reach its closest point to Earth in June. At that point, it will no longer be visible in the Northern Hemisphere.

According to ESA, the best time for Northern Hemisphere skywatchers to see Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is early April. It will brighten as it gets closer to the Sun and can be visible to the naked eye low in the west about an hour after sunset. The best way to view this rare phenomenon is to go to a location far from city lights and with an unobstructed view of the western horizon. The agency also advises using binoculars since 12P/Pons-Brooks may be hard to locate without them.

Mother of Dragons Comet

The Mother of Dragons is a city-size comet with a nucleus that measures 10.5 miles (17 kilometers) wide and orbits the sun in an elliptical shape. Recent observations revealed that this comet has a hidden spiral of light surrounding its frigid heart. Like most comets, 12P/Pons-Brooks is made of ice, dust, and rock.

This is due to diatomic carbon molecules, or pairs of carbon atoms stuck together, which release emerald light when exposed to the sun.

What makes this celestial body special is the fact that it is classified as a cryovolcanic or cold volcano comet. This means that it regularly erupts, ejecting the contents of its icy core into space and making it look brighter than usual. Last July 2023, astronomers observed the Mother of Dragons erupting for the first time in 69 years. At the time, it sprouted horns, which earned it the nickname "devil comet." Since then, the comet has frequently erupted, earning a reputation for its spectacular outburst of dust and gas.

Previous outbursts have made the comet appear to have grown horns. This is possibly due to a notch of ice or rock within the come,t which divided its frosty ejecta plume into two parts. However, the last few eruptions have lacked this feature. Because of this, ESA chose the "Mother of Dragons" moniker as 12P/Pons-Brooks, which is thought to be the parent body of the small "kappa-Draconids" meteor shower. This celestial event is active every year between November 29 and December 13.