WEIRD BUT TRUE: ‘Devil’ Comet Three Times Bigger Than Mount Everest Explodes and Approaches Earth.
The Devil Comet Heading Towards Earth
As if things didn’t seem apocalyptic enough already, scientists have reported the discovery of a “horned” comet three times bigger than Mount Everest that has exploded and is now hurtling toward Earth.
The explosion originated on October 5 from 12P/Pons-Brooks, a cryovolcanic comet measuring a colossal 18.6 miles in diameter, which is equivalent to the size of a small city, as reported by Live Science.
For reference, Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, stands at 29,029 feet high, which is approximately 5.5 miles.
Remarkably, this is the second time this interstellar ice behemoth has erupted in the last four months, with the previous celestial event occurring in July, according to the Science Times.
Devil Comet Heading Towards Earth
The British Astronomical Association, closely monitoring 12P, noticed the explosion when it appeared dozens of times brighter due to the light reflected by its coma, the cloud of gas surrounding its center.
“The two ‘horns’ may be caused by a peculiarly-shaped cryovolcanic vent with some sort of blockage causing material to be expelled with a weird flow pattern,” said Richard Miles of the British Astronomical Association.
For the uninitiated, such eruptions occur when a substantial amount of gas and ice accumulates and combusts, much like a frozen Coke can, causing the comet’s frosty insides to burst through large cracks in the nucleus crust. In this case, the arctic explosion resulted in the formation of “horns,” giving the comet an otherworldly, demonic appearance, as seen in accompanying photos.
Devil Comet Heading Towards Earth: experts
Scientists have also likened the satanic shape to the Millennium Falcon spaceship from “Star Wars,” as reported by Space Weather Archive.
The cause of these peculiar horns remains unclear, but experts believe that it could be linked to the shape of 12P’s nucleus, resembling an interstellar pasta strainer, according to Richard Miles of the British Astronomical Association.
Despite 12P’s ominous trajectory and distinctive shape, there’s no need to brace for a “Deep Impact” just yet. This celestial hailstone, which orbits around the sun every 71 years, won’t reach its closest point to Earth until 2024 when it will become visible to the naked eye. After this encounter, the comet will be catapulted back into the solar system and won’t return until the year 2095.
This marks 12P’s second explosion since July 20, when the interstellar snowball had its first eruption in 69 years. During this event, the horn-like emissions were 7,000 times wider than the comet itself.
While the coma has since returned to its regular size, it may garner more interest next year if it continues to explode, which is likely, as suggested by Space Weather Archive.
First discovered by Jean-Louis Pons on July 12, 1812, 12P is reportedly one of 20 known comets with active ice volcanoes, as claimed by Richard Miles
