The comet, dubbed the “Devil’s Comet,” is hurtling past Earth and exploding around the Sun, but a researcher who studies the phenomenon told Insider that although the comet is large and unusual, its sinister name is a reference to the appearance of horns. . — Doesn’t mean it poses a threat to the third planet from the Sun.

The comet, known to scientists as 12P/Pons-Brooks, last appeared in Earth’s sky more than 70 years ago. Based on its brightness, astronomers estimate that the comet’s solid portion, or nucleus, has a diameter of about 12.4 miles (about twice the size of Mount Everest).

Comets are typically 0.6 to 2.8 miles in diameter, according to Teddy Careta, PhD, of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.

“We know this is big. We know this is the case. We know this is rare,” Kareta told Insider.

We also know it will be most visible next spring, but that’s not because it’s heading toward Earth in another extinction-level event. In fact, Careta said, the comet would still be about one and a half AU or so away from us at its closest point: even farther from Earth than the Sun.

“It may be bright enough that you can see it with the naked eye or binoculars, but that’s not because it’s too close,” Careta said. “Because it’s usually very bright.”

Indeed, the comet is bright and extremely unusual. Its “horns” are actually tails of gas and dust created by a strange series of explosions that scientists still don’t understand. We’ve seen two similar outbreaks this year: the first in July, then at the beginning of this month.

According to Careta, a “flare” means “comets suddenly become much more active, releasing tons of gas and dust in a short time.” When this happens, “the comet appears to brighten very quickly and then return to its original brightness,” he said. “And at Ponce Brooks, these are really bright, really big flares. That’s what makes this comet so interesting to scientists.”

These outbreaks were of particular interest because of their frequency and location. One theory is that comets contain forms of ice that cause volatile explosions when first exposed to the sun’s heat. However, these explosions are generally observed close to the sun and are not very frequent. According to Kareta, “this could happen twice in five years.”

Comet Ponce-Brooks, on the other hand, explodes relatively frequently and is surprisingly far from the Sun. Careta noted that it is further away from Mars now and “it’s not that hot.” In this context, the question arises: “Where does the energy that enables such large explosions come from? What about the fact that it can obviously do so many things and so often?”

The comet is expected to peak in brightness in mid-April 2024 as it continues its 71.2-year journey around the Sun. Astronomers, professional or not, are looking forward to it.

“I think a lot of people are really excited about it,” Careta said.