Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks in March/April 2024

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 71 years around the sun. It was already recognized as a comet during the presumed sightings in 1385 and 1457. The discovery on July 12, 1812 is attributed to Jean-Louis Pons (1761-1831), a French astronomer. He discovered a total of 37 of these tail stars and is therefore considered the most successful comet hunter.
In addition to a designation determined by the IAU (International Astronomical Union), in this case 12P, comets are also named after their discoverer. The double naming Pons-Brooks is due to its rediscoverer William Robert Brooks on September 2, 1883, who was able to assign it to the comet of 1812. The return in the summer of 1953 was observed relatively late, when Pons-Brooks had already approached the sun to 4.5 astronomical units.

If the comet continues to develop in this way with its bursts of brightness, it will be visible to the naked eye, but in any case with binoculars; it can be found in the evening in the north-western night sky. It is said that "comets are like cats, they do what they want" because it is difficult to predict their brightness as they are bodies made up of water ice, dust, porous loose "rock" with numerous organic substances. They are also known as dirty snowballs. Due to the low cohesion (binding forces) of the cometary material, they are susceptible to external influences such as solar radiation and the solar wind, which are responsible for the formation of tails. Close flybys of the sun can lead to their disintegration because they heat up too much.

There are good visibility conditions for 12P in the northern hemisphere in March until the first third of April, before its closest approach to the Sun on April 21. After that, it is easier to observe in the southern hemisphere.

Here a photograph of Pons-Brooks, taken by our member Otmar Becker.

WA & MH