The “exotic” green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), which has been approaching Earth since the time of the Neanderthals about 50,000 years ago, is rapidly approaching our planet and is expected to reach its closest distance (perigee) on February 1 or 2. , about 42 million kilometers.

The comet was discovered by astronomers at the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) observatory in California in March 2022. It originates from the distant Oort Cloud within our solar system and is estimated to revolve around the Sun every 50,000 years or so. .

Comets, made up mostly of ice, dust and gas, usually move in long elliptical orbits around our star. As they get closer to the Sun, its heat turns the comet’s ice into gas and dust, creating its “coming” surrounding its solid core, as well as its massive, impressive “tail”.

C/2022 E3 images show it has a greenish tint, which is believed to be due to its chemical composition, mainly the presence of diatomic carbon, which emits green light when exposed to ultraviolet sunlight.

Since mid-January, the comet, steadily brightening since last November, has become easier to see with telescopes or powerful binoculars, and recently has become bright enough to be visible even to the naked eye, at least from areas of clear darkness. sky and no light pollution. In January, amateur astrophotographers managed to photograph a powerful solar “wind” that tore part of the comet’s tail.

C/2022 E3 is moving across the northern sky towards Polaris, the brightest star in Ursa Minor, near which it will appear on January 26th. By February 10, it will appear close to Mars, and by mid-February, it is expected to become very faint as it moves away from Earth.

Source: RES-IPE