Check out this cool image of the Millennium Falcon Comet which will pass close to Earth on June 2, 2024.
The Millennium Falcon Comet, also known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, used to look like a typical comet until July 20, 2023 which chunks of ice debris started to burst off causing the comment to increase 100 times in brightness and start to resemble to famed brightened Millennium Falcon from Star Wars!
If you are interested in learning more about the Millennium Falcon Comet, scroll down to read about it!
Table of Contents
- What is the Millennium Falcon Comet ?
- What is the Millennium Falcon?
- Is the Millennium Falcon Comet an Illusion?
- References and Resources
What is the Millennium Falcon Comet?
The Millennium Falcon Comet, also known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, used to look like a typical comet until July 20, 2023 which chunks of ice debris started to burst off causing the comment to increase 100 times in brightness and start to resemble to famed brightened Millennium Falcon from Star Wars!
The Millennium Falcon Comet, is a periodic comet in our solar system. It is also known by the names Comet Pons-Brooks and Comet Brooks 2. This comet follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun, and its period of revolution around the Sun is approximately 71.6 years.
The name “12P/Pons-Brooks” comes from the numbering system used to designate periodic comets. The “P” indicates that it is a periodic comet, and the number “12” indicates that it was the 12th periodic comet to be discovered.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks (The Millennium Falcon Comet) was first discovered independently by astronomers Jean-Louis Pons and William Robert Brooks in the 19th century. Jean-Louis Pons observed the comet in 1812, and William Robert Brooks observed it in 1883.
What is the Millennium Falcon?
The Millennium Falcon Comet is named because it looks like the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars!
The Millennium Falcon is a fictional starship in the Star Wars universe. It is one of the most iconic and recognizable spaceships in science fiction and has become synonymous with the Star Wars franchise. The Millennium Falcon is particularly associated with the original trilogy of Star Wars films, and later appeared in the sequel trilogy as well.
In the Star Wars saga, the Millennium Falcon is depicted as a modified YT-1300 light freighter, manufactured by the Corellian Engineering Corporation. It is known for its distinctive saucer-shaped hull and its fast and agile capabilities, making it a highly sought-after ship by smugglers and pirates. The ship is equipped with various advanced features, including powerful hyperdrive engines, powerful blaster cannons, and a highly skilled droid co-pilot known as C-3PO.
The Millennium Falcon is most famously associated with its captain and co-pilot, Han Solo and Chewbacca, respectively, who are prominent characters in the Star Wars series. Throughout the films, the Millennium Falcon plays a crucial role in the Rebel Alliance’s fight against the evil Galactic Empire and later in the Resistance’s struggle against the First Order.
Due to its unique design and central role in the Star Wars saga, the Millennium Falcon has become an iconic symbol of the franchise and a beloved starship among fans worldwide which is why the Millennium Falcon Comet is such a cool phenomenon.
Is the Millennium Falcon Comet an Illusion?
When a comet like the Millennium Falcon Comet appears to resemble the Millennium Falcon or any other familiar object or shape, it is a form of pareidolia. Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon where our brains perceive random or ambiguous stimuli, such as patterns, shapes, or objects, as recognizable images or faces. It is a natural tendency of the human brain to seek out familiar patterns and make sense of them, even when they don’t actually exist.
In the case of comets, their tails, nuclei, and coma (the fuzzy cloud of dust and gas surrounding the nucleus) can sometimes create shapes that resemble something familiar to us, like a spaceship, an animal, or even a human face. When people observe these comet formations and recognize the resemblance to the Millennium Falcon or other objects, it’s a manifestation of pareidolia.
Pareidolia occurs not only with comets, like in the Millennium Falcon Comet, but also with various other phenomena, such as seeing shapes in clouds, faces in inanimate objects, or recognizable figures in rock formations. It is a fascinating aspect of human perception and has been the subject of interest for psychologists and neuroscientists studying how the brain processes visual information.
References and Resources – Millennium Falcon Comet
In addition to the Millennium Falcon Comet, check out our complete list of illusions
Comets like the Millennium Falcon Comet increase in brightness due to a combination of factors related to their composition, distance from the Sun, and their interaction with solar radiation. Here are the primary reasons why comets like the Millennium Falcon Comet can become brighter:
- Proximity to the Sun: When a comet gets closer to the Sun on its elliptical orbit, it experiences an increase in solar radiation and heat. This causes the comet’s icy nucleus to start sublimating, which means the ices (such as water, carbon dioxide, and other volatile compounds) on the comet’s surface transform directly into gas without passing through a liquid phase. This outgassing creates a glowing coma (a cloud of gas and dust) around the nucleus, and a bright, visible tail may develop.
- Increase in Surface Area: As the sublimation process occurs, it can reveal fresh icy material below the surface, exposing it to the Sun’s heat. This increases the surface area from which the gases can escape, further contributing to the comet’s brightness.
- Reflectivity and Dust Production: Comets often contain a significant amount of dust mixed in with the volatile gases. When these dust particles are released into space, they reflect sunlight and contribute to the comet’s overall brightness, making it more visible from Earth.
- Orientation: The orientation of the comet’s tail concerning Earth can also affect its apparent brightness. If the tail is pointed more directly toward Earth, it may appear brighter to observers on our planet.
- Outbursts: Occasionally, comets may experience sudden outbursts or explosive releases of gas and dust, causing a rapid increase in brightness over a short period.
- Fragmentation: Sometimes, comets may break apart due to various forces, leading to multiple fragments, each with its own coma and tail. This can result in an overall increase in brightness if all the fragments are visible from Earth.
We hope you enjoyed the story of the Millennium Falcon Comet!
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