Deep in the Stone Age, when Neanderthals still lived together homo sapiensour ancestors may have been tired of the green light in the night sky.C/2022 E3 (ZTF) (better known as the Green Comet)-I’m back.
The green comet’s highly elliptical orbit means it will take a long time to pass the Earth again. Specifically, about 50,000 years. And that is if it repeats its stay of 50,000 years, but that may not be the case.
Astronomers discovered the comet in March 2022 using the Samuel Osin Robotic Telescope at the Zwicky Temporary Facility. It passed the perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on January 12th.
US observers can see the comet from now until early Februarypotentially with the naked eye if you are Visibility is dark, but binoculars or a telescope will increase your chances. According to NASA, the best time to see the comet is before dawn.
The comet will make its closest approach to Earth on February 2nd.Closest approach is about 0.29 astronomical units (about 27 million miles) from Earth According to Earth Sky.
G/O Media can earn commissions
Up to $100 credit
Samsung Reserve
Reserve the next gen Samsung device
All you need to do is sign up with your email and boom: credit for your preorder on a new Samsung device.
Currently, the comet is toward the constellation Boötes and near Hercules, EarthSky Report. (If you don’t know the position of the comet, Convenient interactive sky chart.) of the comet It is a difficult place for observers in the Southern Hemisphere to see. From its current position in the night sky, the predicted path passes Ursa Minor (Little Dipper) and passes Cameropaldis at closest approach.
Comets glow due to a combination of their chemical composition and sunlight. A comet passing near the Sun is illuminated and warmed by its energy, causing molecules on its surface to evaporate and fluoresce. Comet heads glow green when they contain cyanide or diatomic carbon. According to NASA.
The green comet may brighten up to 5th magnitude at its closest approach to the Earth. According to Earth SkyThe smaller the number, the brighter the object.full moon The apparent magnitude is about -11, The faintest object observed by the Hubble Space Telescope is about 30th magnitude. According to BritannicaThe faintest star visible to our naked eye is about 6th magnitude.
The comet may reach 5th magnitude brightness, Binoculars or a telescope can help if you have trouble finding an object. on a clear night.
Oncoming space rocks aren’t the only recent green comets. 2018, Comet 46P/Virtanen is bright enough for an observer to see with the naked eye, 2021Comet Leonard glowed green as the iceball made its cosmic orbit.
So keep your eyes peeled for the clear nights ahead. If you see something with a faint green glow, it’s probably the latest visitor from our universe.
Details: A megacomet arriving from the Oort cloud is 85 miles wide
