This is the date when Comet Diablo will pass by Earth – teach me about science

Wonderful things are happening all the time on Earth and beyond, so we only need to look to the sky to realize the gifts the universe has to offer us. An example of this is the meteor showers that occur year after year, and are so precise that you can tell exactly when they will be seen in the sky. Another amazing event is the passage of comets near the Earth.

An example of this type of event is the passage of a comet that had to wait 70 years before it could be seen again with the naked eye from Earth. Another celestial body that appears in the same period is Halley's Comet, but the one closest to being visible is Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, or as it is also known as Comet Diablo.

This celestial body was discovered in 1812, by French astronomers Jean-Louis Pons on July 20; On August 1 by Alexis Bouvard and recovered on September 1, 1883, before perihelion (January 24, 1884) by American William Robert Brooks. Hence the name of this comet was taken.

The last time this comet could be seen with the naked eye, without the need for telescopes, was in 1954, and although it is a huge celestial body (its nucleus is 35 kilometers in size), it does not represent a danger. For Earth, as well as how close this next date will be to the planet when it is closest to our home.

This comet, which is three times the size of Mount Everest, is one of the brightest celestial objects that can be observed in the sky. It is a cold volcanic comet, meaning that it exhibits volcanic activity, but unlike terrestrial volcanoes, it does not eject molten rocks or magma, but rather a mixture of gases and ice. It was called the “Devil’s Comet” before because of the internal fractures it suffered, which led to It lost approximately 10 billion kilograms of dust and ice, forming columns in the form of huge “horns”.

This comet will reach its closest point to Earth on April 21, 2024, the day it can be seen with the naked eye, making it a unique opportunity to contemplate an astronomical event like this. Comet Diablo is expected to pass near Earth again in 2095, so we advise you not to miss and enjoy this wonderful astronomical spectacle, as it will leave for the outer solar system and will not return until 2095. .

Don't miss this amazing astronomical event and never stop looking at the sky, because you never know what you could miss. Give yourself the opportunity to observe the night sky and marvel at the beauty it has to offer. Let yourself be guided by the phrase that says: “Only under the brightness of the stars can man realize his smallness and reconcile himself with nature.” (David Nunez Orbeta).