A comet nicknamed the "Devil Comet" for its horned blasts is approaching Earth, spewing ice and gas every 15 days like clockwork. It erupts when its sun-facing side aligns with solar heat, triggered by its 2-week rotation. The latest blast was on December 14, with the next expected around December 29–30. Astronomers are fascinated by this cosmic clockwork.
“The last few outbursts have been on a 15-day cadence, and we might be coming up with another one,” Nick James of the British Astronomical Association (BAA) told Spaceweather.com.
The New York Post reported that the comet, known as 12P, is a cryovolcano—or cold comet—that erupts when a large amount of gas and ice amasses and combusts like frozen Coke cans. This causes the frosty guts of the comet, which measure 18.6 miles in diameter, or the size of a small city, to spout from large cracks in the nucleus' crust.
Richard Miles from the British Astronomical Association compared the comet to a celestial counterpart of the 'Old Faithful' geyser, noting that eruptions were triggered by the sunrise at its specific location.
According to Earth.com, Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is known for displaying volcanic-like activity. Unlike terrestrial volcanoes that eject molten rock, cryovolcanic comets release a mix of gases and ice.
As Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks approaches the sun, it heats up, causing a buildup of pressure in its nucleus. This pressure leads to explosive eruptions of nitrogen and carbon monoxide, ejecting icy debris through large cracks in its shell.
These eruptions can create unique visual patterns when viewed through a telescope, such as the devil horns, which have also been likened to a horseshoe or even the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
