On February 1, a comet called C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will fly past Earth for the first time in 50,000 years, marking the last time it has crossed our planet. Homo sapiens still share the planet with Neanderthals. And according to astronomers’ calculations, the comet will never return.
But you don’t have to wait until February to see the comet; there are several ways to spot it before its closest approach, starting today.
On Thursday (January 12), the comet will be at perihelionits nearest point to the sun. When comets pass close to the sun, their ice sublimates – meaning it turns into a gas, skipping the liquid phase. This sublimation creates a temporary atmosphere called a coma that glows from our perspective.
Beginning in the predawn hours of Jan. 12, the comet may be visible near the constellation Corona Borealis in the northern sky, and will then move westward over time, according to sister site Live Science Space.com. If viewing conditions aren’t ideal in your area, you can tune in to a live stream provided by Virtual telescope projectwhich will begin on January 12th at 11:00 PM ET.
On the night of January 26 and 27, the comet can be seen just east of the Ursa Minor bowl. Experts expect the comet to be visible to the naked eye by the third week of January. By February 1, when the comet makes its closest approach to Earth, 28 million miles (45 million kilometers), it will be near the constellation Camelopardalis. A few days later, on February 5 and 6, the comet will pass west of the star Capella and then enter the constellation Auriga.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will be able to see the comet. If you live in an area with high light pollution, the comet will be too faint to see with the naked eye. Even in areas with less light pollution, the closer a comet gets to Earth, the more its light will appear spread over a larger area. Your best bet may be to look for an area with dark, clear skies and avoid using telescopes and binoculars, according to Space.com; your eyes should be fine.
Comet C/2022 E3 was discovered by Frank Massey and Bryce Bolin in March 2022. Astronomers spotted the comet using the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory in Southern California. At the time of its discovery, the comet was orbiting Jupiter, nearly 400 million miles (643 million kilometers) from the sun.
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