Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), which was first seen by astronomers in March 2022, is making its closest approach to Earth in a staggering 50,000 years. That’s how long astronomers think it takes for a comet to make a single orbit around the sun; it is what is known as a long-period comet, or a comet with an orbital period of more than 200 years.
The huge ball of ice and debris just hurtled around the sun, reaching perihelion (its closest point to our star) on January 12, and is now heading towards Earth. But don’t worry, you’re not on a collision course with us. Its closest approach will be between February 1 and 2, when it will be more than 26 million miles away.
But the comet should already be visible through telescopes and possibly even binoculars, thanks in part to the fact that the new moon will rise on January 23 – the moon is waning, so it’s creating less light pollution for the lingers of stars. And if the comet does shine in the next few days, it might even be visible to the naked eye. To see it, you’ll need to be away from man-made light pollution.
“Observers in the Northern Hemisphere will find the comet in the morning sky as it moves rapidly northwestward during January. (It will become visible in the southern hemisphere in early February),” according to a skywatching video from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “This comet is not expected to be the spectacle that Comet NEOWISE was in 2020. But it remains an incredible opportunity to make a personal connection with an icy visitor from the distant outer solar system.”
What makes this particular comet remarkable, aside from its long orbital period, is the fact that it is bright green, which is a rare color in space. According to EarthSky, that could be due to a specific chemical reaction of diatomic carbon molecules. But we know very little about comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), so astronomers are taking advantage of this unique opportunity to study it.
According to Space.com, comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) likely originated in the Oort Cloud, a vast and mysterious region of space far beyond the confines of our solar system. It is suspected to be home to millions, billions, or even trillions of icy bodies, many of which are comets. After circling the sun, comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) returns in that direction, and astronomers aren’t sure the comet will ever return; changes to its orbit could send it flying in another direction, or the comet could break apart. completely. Even if it does return, it won’t be for another 50,000 years, and you probably won’t be around to see it then.
If you’re not in an optimal viewing location or don’t have the right equipment to view the comet yourself, don’t worry. The Virtual Telescope Project will host a live stream starting at 11 pm EST on February 1, which you can watch on their website or YouTube channel.
