A comet passing Earth for the first time since Neanderthals existed 50,000 years ago is revealed in a new image
- A comet discovered in March last approached Earth 50,000 years ago
- It is scheduled to come within 26 million miles of Earth on February 1
- Astronomers shared a new image of the comet, showing its coma and dusty tail for the first time
A comet not seen since Neanderthals walked the earth is making its return journey – and astronomers have shared the first detailed image of the ‘cosmic snowball’.
The comet, officially known as C/2022 E3 (ZTF), orbits the Sun every 50,000 years and will make its closest approach to our planet on February 1, 2023.
E3 was spotted in March, but scientists recently snapped the first detailed image, revealing its brighter greenish coma and a yellow dust tail.
While the comet is too dim to see without a telescope, it should be visible to the naked eye by the time it’s about 26 million miles away.
E3 was spotted in March, but scientists recently snapped the first detailed image, revealing its brighter greenish coma and a yellow dust tail
In early March, astronomers discovered comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) using the Zwicky Transient Facility’s wide-field survey camera.
Since then, the new long-period comet has brightened significantly and is now sweeping across the northern constellation Corona Borealis in the morning sky.
The comet is currently 117 million miles from Earth and is expected to reach the Sun on January 1, looping and making its closest approach to our planet.
And E3 will be the first comet to be seen with the naked eye since Comet NEOWISE in July 2020.
However, NEOWISE has left a long, foggy tail and E3 is likely to appear as a gray streak in the night sky.
E3 should be visible until January 26th, but will be brightest on February 1st.
This comet isn’t the only cosmic display for 2023, as the year begins with the annual Quadrantid meteor shower and ends with December’s impressive Geminid meteor shower.
The Quadrantid is one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year, and you don’t need any special equipment to see it.
While the meteor shower technically began today, it will peak on the night of January 3rd into the morning of January 4th.
It’s an above-average shower, with 40 meteors typically passing per hour.
In extreme cases, however, up to 200 shooting stars per hour can be seen, but that requires perfect conditions in the ideal place on earth.
And as 2023 draws to a close, the December 13-14 twin meteor shower will light up the skies.
The comet is currently 117 million miles from Earth and is expected to reach the Sun on January 1, looping and making its closest approach to our planet
This comet isn’t the only cosmic display for 2023, as the year begins with the annual Quadrantid meteor shower and ends with December’s impressive Geminid meteor shower (pictured).
The meteors are mainly white, but can also be yellow, green, red, or blue.
While comets produce most meteor showers, the Geminid meteor shower is unique in that the shower occurs when the Earth moves through a debris trail created by an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon.
Go to a dark area, away from light pollution, and give your eyes at least 30 minutes to adjust to the night sky.
The Geminid meteor shower was first reported in 1862, but it wasn’t until 1983 that scientists determined 3200 Phaethon was the source.
It’s called Gemini because as Earth walks through the debris, it illuminates the Castor star in the Gemini constellation.
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