The Mother of Dragons won’t be visible again for another seven decades
A huge green comet known as the ‘Mother of Dragons’ is visible in the night sky in the northern hemisphere.
It won’t be long before the comet disappears from the skies for another 71 years though.
12P/Pons-Brooks got its Mother of Dragons nickname as European Space Agency researchers believe it’s the parent body of the kappa-Draconids meteor shower.
The 10.5 mile-wide celestial body is a cryovolcanic, or cold volcano, comet. When pressure builds up in its nucleus, the shell cracks and it ‘erupts.’
This is the first time since 1954 that it’s been visible in the night sky and it should be bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.
For the best view of the comet, astronomers still recommend using binoculars or a small telescope.
To see the ‘Mother of Dragons’ you’ll need to look westwards in the night’s sky and find the constellation of stars known as Aries the Ram, which forms a loose V-shape.
According to the European Space Agency, the comet will be “visible in clear dark skies above the western horizon during the hours after dusk.”
It will appear in the sky as a faint blob with a hazy tail and a green tint.
The comet will make its closest approach to the sun on April 21. This will be when it appears brightest in the sky.
By the time it makes its closest approach to Earth in June, it will no longer be visible.
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