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Cranbrook’s colossal consolation comet
12P/Pons-Brooks is in our western sky
By Dan Hicks
We have a grand celestial visitor from the distant depths of outer space speeding through our early spring sky, and we should all extend our fond Earthly greetings to colossal Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, an inbound iceball monster – boasting a girth of 34 kilometres in diameter, and hurtling toward the sun at 44 kilometres per second.
A periodic “P” comet with an average perihelial orbital period of 71.32 years (re times of closest approach to sun), Pons has been a recurrent visitor for eons unknown, but last paid us a perihelial visit in May of 1954, and after this 2024 visit, will return to us again in August of 2095; therefore, those children who chance to see Pons presently may, in their twilight years, enjoy an opportunity to reacquaint themselves with their ancient icy friend in the warm embrace of early summer some 71 years hence.
Pons is our “cometary consolation” for missing out on eastern North America’s great April 8 total solar eclipse, which we will see as a mere 26% solar obscuration (much reduced from the 75% obscuration of our October 14, 2023 partial solar eclipse).
Lead image: Cranbrook’s Consolation Comet – 12P/Pons-Brooks , looking west-northwest. Sky & Telescope magazine chart for March 2024. Our East Kootenay western sky is displayed in reduced & expansive perspectives (above and below). Comet Pons is shown symbolically below the “Aries ” constellation label. Images submitted
