Stunning ‘Devil Comet’ Could Photobomb This April’s Total Solar Eclipse

Come April, stargazers might be able to witness a spectacular celestial display of the “devil comet” during the total solar eclipse. The comet commonly referred to as the devil comet, 12P/Pons-Brooks (12P), will be positioned close to the sun during the April 8 total solar eclipse. Experts also predict that the volcanic comet may be visible to the naked eye, especially if it blows its top before the big event, Live Science reported.

Notably, the Halley-type periodic comet was first discovered by Jean-Louis Pons on July 12, 1812, and then independently rediscovered by William Robert Brooks in 1883. The city-sized comet has a width of 17 kilometers and orbits the sun in a highly elliptical pattern approximately every 71 years.

The comet occasionally erupts when radiation from the sun cracks open its icy shell, allowing it to shoot cryomagma–a combination of ice and gas– into space. The comet’s coma, the cloud of gas and dust enveloping its core, intensifies following these eruptions, lending the comet a noticeably brighter appearance for several days. 

It is expected to reach its maximum brightness during April and is expected to make its closest approach to the Sun on April 21. Ir will swing closest to Earth on June 2. However, since the comet’s brightness can be unpredictable, there is no guarantee it will be visible, and viewers may need to use binoculars or telescopes to see it. 

What is a Total solar eclipse?

During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes in between Earth and the sun, and the face of the sun is completely blocked, according to NASA. The total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

When the moon completely covers the sun, it casts a shadow on Earth, forming what is called a “path of totality.” This path is a relatively narrow band that moves across the surface. People standing inside this band can witness a total solar eclipse, provided the weather and clouds cooperate. On April 8, 2024, the eclipse band is expected to be 115 miles wide. 

“The duration of totality will be up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds, almost double that of The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017,” according to Great American Eclipse. Skygazers across the world have been advised to wear protective eyewear, such as licensed eclipse glasses, during its partial phases. Failure to do so could result in serious eye damage.

The next big total solar eclipse in the United States will occur on August 12, 2045.