Comet “Mother of Dragons” in the sky. The European Space Agency issued a statement

A body that has a nucleus 30 km diameter, It orbits the sun approximately every 71 years and is known A large tail and spectacular explosions of gas and dust.

The comet is sometimes called the “Devil's Comet” due to the strange horns that appear in its images. These horns were formed as a result of explosions that occurred on their surface. But the European Space Agency chose the name “Mother of Dragons” in its announcement, in reference to popular culture and referring to the comet as a possible planet. Source of meteor shower – Kappa draconids – appear every year, from late November to mid-December.

Depending on the distance from the sun The comet's visibility changes dramatically – From barely noticeable to visible even with the naked eye or with the help of binoculars.

It will be closest to Earth in June Hence it will not be visible in the Northern Hemisphere due to the long day.

According to the European Space Agency, The best time for observation is early March and April. It will then be visible in the west for a few hours after dusk.

The official name of the comet comes from Names of discoverers – French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons (1761-1831) and British-American astronomer William R. Brooks (1844-1921).

Comet Pons discovered 1812 Its rotation period was set at 65-75 years. Brooks, in turn, verified these calculations as the next comet approached Earth.

ESA experts state that comets are not just a source Aesthetic experiences for space lovers. These organisms number approx 5 billion years Created together with Solar System They can tell a lot about his past.

At the same time, due to gravitational effects, they often move from the periphery of the system to the inner planets, which is what makes their orbits particularly interesting. For this reason, the European Space Agency sent probes towards comets.

Already in 1986, the Giotto probe flew close to the nucleus of Halley's Comet. In 2014, Rosetta entered orbit around comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. It was the first probe to track the comet on its way around the sun, and a lander separated from it and landed on the comet.

It is scheduled to start this year Miss Hera. This probe, along with small satellites, will carefully examine the effects of the collision Comet Dimorphos It is organized in 2022 as part of the NASA DART mission.

It is also being considered Mission towards the asteroid ApophisWhich in 2029 will approach Earth at a very close distance. The Comet Interceptor probe is also scheduled to launch in 2029 and will fly by a comet visiting the solar system for the first time.

The ESA also draws attention to the important role in the study Comet Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), That is: an observatory that looks at the sun. Comets approaching the star repeatedly flew into its field of vision.

More and more will be learned about these unusual objects, and they will help discover the past of the entire solar system.

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