Comet 12P Pons-Brooks
Comet 12P Pons-Brooks photographed on the night of March 16, 2024 from Vancouver, Canada.
Image © Robert G. Lyons
Imaging Equipment Used:
Sky-Watcher Quattro 150P | Starizona Nexus f/3 Reducer | ASI183MC Pro | Antlia RGB Ultra Filter | ZWO AM5
30 x 120 seconds = 1 hour integration
Bortle 8/9
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is a periodic comet in our solar system, first discovered by Jean-Louis Pons on July 12, 1812, and independently rediscovered by William Robert Brooks on September 1, 1883. This comet is notable for its long orbital period of approximately 71 years, meaning it completes one orbit around the Sun roughly every seven decades. Due to this long period, it is classified as a Halley-type comet, sharing similarities with Halley's Comet but with a slightly shorter orbital period.
When 12P/Pons-Brooks approaches the Sun, it develops a bright coma and a tail, characteristic of comets as the Sun's heat causes the icy components to sublimate. This process makes the comet more visible and spectacular from Earth. The comet has made notable returns, including its initial discovery in 1812, its rediscovery in 1883, and another observed approach in 1954. Its most recent perihelion passage, where it comes closest to the Sun, was in the spring of 2024 and was observed and photographed extensively.
Physically, the comet's nucleus is composed of ice, dust, and organic compounds, similar to other comets. Detailed observations during its close approaches help astronomers study its size, composition, and structural changes over time. The predictable return of 12P/Pons-Brooks makes it a valuable object for long-term astronomical study, allowing scientists to monitor its evolution and gather data on the behaviour and characteristics of comets in our solar system.