The Neanderthal comet is back, maybe it will be visible to the naked eye – Space & Astronomy

The Neanderthal comet is back, maybe it will be visible to the naked eye – Space & Astronomy

after visiting Earth 50,000 years ago In the time of the Neanderthals, it re Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), ready to make an offer in the first weeks of the new year. to me end of January In fact It may become visible to the naked eye, but these days it is already in the viewfinder of amateur telescopes for amateur astronomers from around the world, who are vying for the perfect shot. Just like the one created by the American Dan Bartlett and published by NASA, the first to show in detail the thin green hair, ionic tail and long propeller tail of dust.

C/2022 E3 (ZTF) “a long time comet that was discovered last March 2 from the Zwicky transient facility in California, “say experts of the Italian Astronomical Union (Uai).” The object was initially identified as an asteroid, but subsequent observations later revealed that it had a highly condensed coma, indicating that it was a comet.”

Next January 12th C / 2022 E3 (ZTF) will reach the point of minimum distance from the Sun (166 million km), while its closest approach to Earth (42 million km) will occur on February 1, 2023.

Since the day of its discovery, the comet has “increased dramatically in brightness and was found to pass in the constellation Corona Borealis in the predawn sky,” continues Uai. “From January 17th to February 5th The deflection will be so high that the comet will become polar oceanIt will be visible in the sky all night. You can start looking at it with binoculars, provided you’re under a dark sky.”

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beginning From January 24th “The comet It may be visible to the naked eyeAnd with comets, the condition is a must – specifies Uai – but it will certainly be clearly visible with the aid of simple binoculars.

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