A colossal comet, known informally as the “Devil Comet,” is hurtling towards Earth following an unpredictable outburst earlier this year.

This comet, officially designated as 12P/Pons-Brooks, has captivated astronomers for centuries and is set to become visible from Earth in April 2024, marking its first appearance in 71 years.

“Pons-Brooks was first discovered in 1812 and this will be its fourth time coming around,” Quanzhi Ye, an astronomer at the University of Maryland who studies the comet, told Newsweek. “In addition, some astronomers were able to establish the observational record all the way back to 1385, so this comet is among the very few comets that have been observed for a very long time.”

“Most comets that we know are about one to a few km in size,” Ye said. “[But] we only have a very rough idea on the size of the comet—e.g. 5 km, 10 km or 20 km are all likely numbers.”

This implies that the comet could have dimensions reaching up to twice the height of Mount Everest or the length of Manhattan, Newsweek reported.

The comet poses no danger to Earth; instead, it provides an exciting opportunity for stargazers to witness this uncommon celestial spectacle.

Written by staff