- The cryovolcanic comet 12P/Pons-Brooks has a diameter of about 30 kilometers
- Scientists discovered that the volcano erupts every 15 days, with the next on Friday
- READ MORE: Massive 'devil's comet' explodes again in its biggest outburst yet
A comet the size of a city that's hurtling towards Earth has erupted dozens of times this year, leading scientists to discover a pattern to its outbursts – and it's the result of a 'blow'.
The space rock, dubbed the Devil's Comet because it produces horns during outbursts, appears to violently eject ice and gas every 15 days.
The last event occurred on December 14, leaving the next event on December 29 or 30.
Astronomers found that the cosmic object, formally known as comet 12P, rotates within a two-week period, pointing its cryovolcanic vent toward the sun and being activated by the intense heat.
The comet last erupted on December 14 and the next outburst occurred on Friday or Saturday
Richard Miles of the British Astronomical Association told it Spaceweather.com: 'It's like 'Old Faithful.'
'Comet 12P has a super cryogeyser, the eruption of which occurs after local sunrise at its location.'
12P/Pons-Brooks is known as a cryovolcanic – or cold volcano – comet, which exhibits volcanic activity.
But instead of spewing molten rock and lava-like volcano onto Earth, a cryovolcanic comet releases a mixture of gases and ice.
When a cryovolcanic comet comes closer to the Sun – as 12P/Pons-Brooks does – it heats up and builds pressure in its core.
The pressure builds until nitrogen and carbon monoxide explode, ejecting icy debris through large cracks in the core's shell.
It's called the Devil's Comet because it produces horns during outbursts like this one in October
After the space rock comes closest to us, it is flung back to the outer solar system and will not return until 2095.
These gas streams can take on distinctive shapes when viewed through a telescope, such as devil horns, also described as a horseshoe or the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars.
The space rock is about the size of the famous Halley's comet and was last visible to the naked eye on Earth in 1954.
It is also called a 'Halley-type comet' because its 71-year orbit around the Sun puts it in the same class as history's most famous space rock, which takes about 75 years to orbit our star , as opposed to thousands of years like most comets.
Although Pons-Brooks will be closest to Earth in April 2024, it is predicted to reach magnitude +4, so it could also be visible to the naked eye in May and June 2024.
It will be brightest in the night sky on June 2, 2024.
The comet's name comes from two astronomers who discovered it: Jean-Louis Pons and William Robert Brooks.
Pons first identified it in 1812 and Brooks again in 1883, determining that the demonic comet returns to our solar system every 71 years.
'At least seven significant eruptions have been observed since the 19th century, SpaceWeather reports.
“2023 is on track to match that number within one year.”