‘Devil Comet’ Heading Straight Toward Earth
Story by Cassandra Yorgey • Yesterday 11:25 AM
Acryovolcanic meteor that will pass close to Earth underwent a cold volcanic eruption resulting in what looks like horns in telescopic images, but estimates say the closest it will get to us is 144 million miles - so it doesn’t seem like we have to worry about it colliding with our planet.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks will have its closest approach to earth on June 2, 2024 which may result in some great meteor showers but no impacts are expected. The chunk of celestial rock hurtling through space is still unusual though, due the apparent “horns” believed to be caused by a super-cold explosion of cryomagma, or ice-magma, into space.
Astronomers detected a huge burst of light from the comet this month, increasing its brightness about 100 times and giving it the apparent shape of horns, although according to some it looks more like the Millennium Flacon. It’s thought the pressure buildup was obstructed by the irregular shape of the comet causing the appearance of “horns” in the way the 22 billion pounds of dust and ice that were expelled are now reflecting the sun, but it will eventually disappear as the debris becomes too dispersed to catch the sunlight anymore.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/devil-comet-heading-straight-toward-earth/ar-AA1eB90F?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=a309dcd9d0564c8cae39fe6cdbc06134&ei=32
