Look up! An Astrakhan resident photographed a comet that's rarely seen from Earth.
Short-period Comet Pons-Brooks (12P/Pons-Brooks) сtook pictures an amateur astronomer from Astrakhan Alexander VolchenkoIt revolves around the Sun once every 70 years.
This comet is a large icy body, ranging from 17 to 30 kilometers in diameter. As it approaches the Sun, the surface of the comet's nucleus heats up, leading to eruptions of gases, water vapor, and silicate dust, which form the comet's extended atmosphere and tail.
It was discovered by French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons in July 1812, making this the comet's sixth return to the Sun.
"The object is still quite difficult to photograph from the city... Thanks to the wide field of view of the short-focus refractor, finding the comet wasn't difficult. It immediately stands out as a hazy, bright spot against a background of pinpoint stars. The comet is moving through the constellation Andromeda." — Volchenko wrote in the group Astronomers' Club-lanniversaries of the name of F.Yu. Siegel.
The amateur astronomer noted that the comet exhibits a tendency to experience sudden bursts of activity, causing it to suddenly become brighter and more visible in the Earth's sky. He suggested that "explosive" behavior should be expected from it in the next couple of months. And in the second half of April, it will become so bright that it will be visible to the naked eye.
Photo: Alexander Volchenko