Comet 12P is headed toward Earth, glowing as a result of large volcanic eruptions.
Comets are part of everyday life in space. They should not be confused with asteroids or meteorites as they have differences. They are made of ice and travel at high speeds through space. Humans have known about these space objects for a long time, but now astronomers are paying close attention because of its violent outbursts.
Specific We refer to comet 12P/Pons-Brooks It is 30 kilometers in diameter and has a solid core. According to an article Interesting engineering According to the latest data collected on it, this comet is cryovolcanic. That is, it suffers from violent volcanic eruptions that do not release magma, but instead occur cold.
This comet is now traveling towards Earth, but not without danger
Out there, in infinite space, are bodies made of very different materials. Comets are one of these bodies made of ice and rock, and are sometimes surrounded by a vaporous atmosphere due to the gas they emit. Comet 12P belongs to this category, and not only that, it is very special.
Because of its size and nucleus, comet 12P travels through space surrounded by a diffuse gas known as the “coma”. This gas is expelled from the interior of the comet by the action of time and above all by solar radiation. As its temperature increases, the comet emits more and more Pressure to dangerous levels.
Comet 12P explosion in mid-space captured by astronomers. Source: Richard Miles
What happens then? The flash we were talking about in the title. With high pressure, the surface cracks between the surface layer and the core and Releases a large column of ice and gas This causes a violent volcanic eruption, releasing flashes into the middle of space. In fact, astronomers managed to capture the last of them.
Comet 12P travels at full speed through the solar system and its complete orbit takes 71 years. It means that after this period it can be seen only once. Finally Productive bursts are more intense and occur as they pass closer to the Sun. This aside, readers should know that he is now heading towards Earth. Nothing to fear though.
Comet 12P is closest to Earth. Write well next April 21, 2024. That day will be well known from some parts of the world and we will reveal it in due course when it arrives. Meanwhile, in another line of space news, some amateur astronomers managed to record the moment a meteor hit Jupiter. Apart from that, they also discovered a meteorite as old as our solar system.
