On April 8, during the occurrence of a rare total solar eclipse, skygazers may be treated to the sight of the “devil comet,” officially known as 12P/Pons-Brooks.

This comet, named after the astronomers Jean-Louis Pons and William Robert Brooks, who first observed it in 1812 and 1883 respectively, has earned its demonic moniker due to the horn-shaped gas and dust trail it leaves behind.

While not malevolent or harmful to Earth, the comet’s distinctive appearance has led to its nickname.

Comets like 12P, which orbit the sun and consist of dust and ice, display long tails formed as they heat up during their approach to the sun.

This process releases gases and dust, creating a glowing trail that can span millions of miles, as reported by USA Today.

The core of every comet is a frozen nucleus of dust and ice, which, as the comet nears the sun, transforms into gas, forming a dusty cloud around the nucleus called the coma.

The unique shape of 12P/Pons-Brooks’s coma, resembling horns, contributes to its striking visual resemblance to devil horns.

Written by B.C. Begley