Possible naked-eye comet

space.com wrote:
Possible naked-eye comet will visit Earth for 1st time since Neanderthals in 2023
*By Robert Lea

At the start of 2023 Earth will be visited by a newly discovered comet that may just be bright enough to be spotted with the naked eye. The comet, named C/2022 E3 (ZTF), is currently passing through the inner solar system. It will make its closest approach to the sun, or perihelion, on Jan. 12th, and will then whip past Earth making its closest passage of our planet, its perigee, between Feb. 1st and Feb. 2nd.

According to NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the comet has a period of around 50,000 years. This means that prior to it coming to within around 100 million miles (160 million kilometers) of the sun on Jan. 12 and 26 million miles (42 million kilometers) of Earth on Feb. 2, the last time it came so close was during the Upper Paleolithic period on Earth.


*This NASA chart shows the orbital path of Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) at closest approach. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

That means the last humans that could have spotted C/2022 E3 (ZTF) were early homo sapiens alive during the last glacial period or "ice age." So, too, could some say of the last Neanderthals, as that species became extinct around 10,000 years after the last perihelion of C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

Of course, the Neanderthals and early humans wouldn't have known what C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was, and the comet was identified much more recently than the last ice age. The comet was spotted by the wide-field survey camera at the Zwicky Transient Facility in early March 2022.

Initially appearing to be an asteroid, C/2022 E3 (ZTF) which was inside the orbit of Jupiter at the time, soon began to brighten as comets do. At the time of its discovery, C/2022 E3 (ZTF) had a magnitude of 17.3, brightening to a magnitude 10 in November, and expected to eventually reach magnitude 6. 

Current images of C/2022 E3 (ZTF) show its coma, a surrounding halo of gas and dust, glowing with a greenish hue and a long but faint cometary tail extending from its main body. 

If the comet continues to brighten as it currently is, it could be visible in dark skies with the naked eye. This is difficult to predict for comets, but even if C/2022 E3 (ZTF) does fade it should still be visible with binoculars or a telescope for a number of days around its close approach.

According to NASA (opens in new tab), observers in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to find the comet in the morning sky, as it moves in the direction of the northwest during January. C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will become visible for observers in the Southern Hemisphere in early February 2023.

According to NASA (opens in new tab), observers in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to find the comet in the morning sky, as it moves in the direction of the northwest during January. C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will become visible for observers in the Southern Hemisphere in early February 2023.

Observers should look for C/2022 E3 (ZTF) when the moon is dim in the sky, with the new moon on Jan. 21 offering such an opportunity, weather permitting. According to the website Starlust, the comet will be in the Camelopardalis constellation during its close approach.

Read the original article at: https://www.space.com/comet-2022-e3-ztf-possible-naked-eye-visibility-2023

earthsky.org wrote:
Skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere will have a chance to see the comet in the predawn hours as it approaches the planet.

For those unable to see the green comet in person, however, the Virtual Telescope Project is planning to broadcast real-time views from robotically controlled telescopes in Italy and Spain, beginning Wednesday (Feb. 1) at 11 p.m. ET. - https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/

Read the full original article at:
https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/new-comet-might-get-bright-enough-for-binoculars/

earthsky.org wrote:
We’re not done with Comet 2022 E3 (ZTF) yet! Even though it’s dimming and racing away from Earth and our sun, there’s more comet fun in store. This week, the comet is edging toward bright red Mars on the sky’s dome. It’ll appear extremely close to Mars Friday and Saturday nights, February 10 and 11, 2023. Astrophotographers, get ready!

Astrophotographers can point a camera toward its approximate location in the sky and take long-exposure photos of 20 to 30 seconds. Your images might reveal a fuzzy, tailed object. Indeed, using this technique, many have been able to photograph a comet even if they can’t see it visually.

Use the star charts https://earthsky.org/ to track down the comet. Its northern location on our sky’s dome means Southern Hemisphere stargazers don’t have a good view of this comet. For them, the body of Earth will block it from view. Be sure to check https://stellarium-web.org/ for a precise view from your location, at the time you want to watch.

If you’re having a hard time finding the dim comet or if the weather is not cooperating, you can watch online. The Virtual Telescope Project will air a livestream of the comet passing near Mars on February 11, 2023. The feed begins at 19:00 UTC at https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/

Read the full original article at: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/new-comet-might-get-bright-enough-for-binoculars/