Specialists information that the “green” comet passing close to Earth for the first time in 50,000 years It may be visible in Argentina from the night of February 5. This is C/2022 E3 (ZTF), which was seen in our sky when Neanderthals inhabited the planet and, according to some specialists, we will have to be the last humans to observe it.
Although it reached its minimum distance from Earth on February 1, information from the Buenos Aires Planetarium indicated that the comet would begin to be visible in Argentina on the night of Sunday, February 5, between 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
“By then, it will be located slightly ‘to the left and below’ of the famous Capella star: the sixth brightest in the night sky,” detail Mariano Ribas, Coordinator of the Scientific Dissemination Area of the “Galileo Galilei” Planetarium. They also clarified that there is a possibility that it will be observable in the northern provinces of the country from February 4.
“Starting on February 9, the comet will ‘parade’ through the constellation of Taurus, where, among other things, it will have an apparent encounter with Mars, on the 10th and 11th. Another excellent reference to locate the comet,” he added. In addition, the specialist explained that the days where the comet could be best appreciated would be from 8 to 12with the possibility that they extend until 14 or 15 “when it will be located near the bright, reddish and famous star Aldebarán”.
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Will a simple view be seen in Argentina?
Although NASA astronomers indicated that under certain conditions the comet could be visible to the naked eye, Ribas clarified that this will not be the case in the sky of Buenos Aires or any other large or medium-sized city. “As a reference and close antecedent, we have the remembered comet Leonard (C/2021 A1), which just over a year ago (in December 2021) reached magnitude 4 (or a few tenth more), and even so Couldn’t see a naked eye in our town“, he detailed.
In this sense, he explained that those who are in urban centers should resort to binoculars or a telescope to appreciate it. However, he clarified that, “even in that case, hardly more than a very pale elongated speck is visible.”
Despite this, I clarify that Far from the cities the outlook could be more encouraging. In this regard, he maintained that the comet could be seen with the naked eye in areas far from urban light pollution, as long as it remains around magnitude 5. Despite this, it will have the shape of “a tiny little cloud lost in the starry sky “.
For that reason, the astrophotographer managed to use binoculars and telescopes in dark places and far from cities to have the best viewing experience. “In short: to see the comet as well as possible, it will be necessary to get away from the cities, and look for a dark place and open sky,” concluded Ribas.
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Now, the American astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy got a sneak peek of the unique “ice ball” which we will see soon. In the image, she captured the greenish wake and long, shiny tail. “While not as bright as Neowise or Leonard, this comet is still putting on an incredible show“McCarthy said in a post on his social networks.
The photographer also said that he will have to move to the Arizona desert and that getting a good quality image was very difficult, due to the “abnormal wet and foggy conditions“.
On the possibility that it will not pass by Earth again, astronomy Jessica Lee of the Royal Greenwich Observatory told news week: “Some predictions suggest that this comet’s orbit is so eccentric that it’s not in orbit anymore, so it’s not going to come back at all and just keep going.”
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Meanwhile, Bryce Bolin, who is doing a postdoctoral program at NASA and discovered the comet last year, said that He “secretly hopes it disintegrates” because “that’s where the most interesting science is” about a comet like this.
The C/2022 E3 (ZTF) has an orbit around the Sun passing to the far reaches of the solar systemthat is why it has taken so long to return close to Earth, as published The Planetary Society. The comet has agreenish tail, a short broad dust tail and a long wispy ion tail“.
This star will pass some 26 million miles from Earth (almost 42 million kilometers) -the closest it will get- on February 1st. That’s almost 109 times the average distance between our planet and the Moon.
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Why is the C/2022 E3 kite green?
According to the German Aerospace Center, the green coloration is caused by an interaction between a gas and heat from the sun as the comet approaches. Only the heat of the sun makes the comet shine; without this glow, we cannot recognize it in the darkness of space.
When does the green kite arrive?
The green comet, scientifically named C/2022 E3, approaches Earth again. The last time this happened was 50,000 years ago, when Neanderthals u homo neanderthalensis it was still a living species These days, the comet’s greenish glow can be seen with the naked eye, under certain conditions.
In the next few days, the comet will be located close to Earth according to astronomical dimensions; that is, at a distance estimated at “only” about 42 million kilometers. This February 1 will reach its closest point to our planet, in the present trajectory.
According to the information released by NASAin it North Hemisphere the green kite should be visible just before dawn end of January. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be visible in early February. The moment of closest approach to Earth It will take place between February 1 and 2.
It should be noted that because the new moon can provide darker skies, you’ll be able to see your best between now and February 2.
When will comet C/2022 E3 be best seen?
If you want to see the comet and its intense green glow, from the Northern Hemisphere you should turn north-northeast on a clear night. There, the kite will ascend on the horizon towards Ursa Minor. “It is necessary that the sky be dark. So the comet can be seen with binoculars and even with the naked eye”, says Dirk Steinhauer of the Greifswald observatory in Germany.
The best time to see it will probably be the night of this Tuesday, January 31 to February 1, at 4 in the morning and after the Moon has set. But the comet can also be observed on the nights before and after this time after 10:00 p.m., for which it is best to have a telescope.
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In the first days it is necessary use a telescope to see C/2022 E3 (ZTF), but a measure that is closer to “our home” will be necessary to use binoculars or long sights until finally will be visible a plain view.
To get a better observation, it is advisable to have a clear night and to be away from the lights of the city, with skies as dark as possible. When the Moon is in twilight or below the horizon, the sky will be even blacker and viewing conditions more favorable.
The kite will be clearly visible on February 10 and 11
After February 1, the visibility of C/2022 will decrease again as the waxing moon eclipses it. During this time, the comet will move away from Earth in the direction of Mars. Around February 10 and 11 it will pass by Mars and with a little luck it will be possible to see it again.
How did the kite get its name?
The C represents the fact that the comet has an orbital period of more than 200 years. The combination 2022 E indicates that the comet was discovered in 2022, in the first half of March (E) and as the third comet (3) in this period. The ZTF suffix refers to the “Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF)” program of an observatory in California that discovered the comet.
Although its existence has only been known for a year, C/2022, like all comets, is already several billion years old. It comes from the early days of our solar system, and its orbit takes it to the very edges.
mb/ds
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