https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/09...22-e3-scn/index.html

First time in 50,000 years, apparently.

So will it be day of the day of the triffids or maximum overdrive?

Still, should be pretty cool to check out with some binocs. Before the end, I mean.

You mean, Para's comet? Excellent!

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
You mean, Para's comet? Excellent!

Yes! Finally!

I was holding off on posting about this comet until we got a little closer to the viewing dates, but with the discussion started I'll add this.

[Note: hyperlink found at linked website article.]

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Green comet streaks across the sky in 2023 for first time since Stone Age

C/2022 E3 (not pictured) is a rare comet that hasn’t been spotted near Earth for the past 50,000 years. (Getty Images)

by: Eric Henrikson

Posted: Jan 6, 2023 / 11:27 AM PST

Updated: Jan 6, 2023 / 11:38 AM PST

This month, skygazers will be treated to a once-in-a-civilization sight: a green comet named C/2022 E3 (ZTF) approaching Earth, KTLA sister station KXAN reports.

The comet, which last passed through our solar system a little more than 50,000 years ago, will reach its perihelion (or its closest point to the sun) on Jan. 12, when it will be within 100 million miles of the sun, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

On Feb. 2, the comet will only be about 26 million miles from Earth. This is the closest it has passed since the Upper Paleolithic era, an epoch of human history when Homo sapiens are believed to have left Africa and settled in Asia and Europe.

To put it into perspective, Neanderthals still walked the Earth the last time the comet passed over.


What will the E3 comet look like?
According to NASA, predicting the brightness of a comet is difficult. NASA said that if it continues to brighten, it should be visible with the naked eye. It’ll also be bright green.



This graphic released by NASA shows the path the “Green Comet” will take across the solar system. (NASA)

NASA said that in the Northern Hemisphere, the comet will be visible in the mornings toward the northwest. In February, it will move below the horizon and become visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

Viewers may be able to see the comet with the naked eye, but binoculars or a telescope will be the best bet.


How was the E3 comet discovered?

Discovered by astronomers Bryce Bolin and Frank Masci at the Zwicky Transient Facility in March 2022, the E3 comet was first spotted near Jupiter. It was initially believed to be an asteroid, according to Space.com.

As it traveled closer to the sun, it grew brighter. Comets do this as the heat of the sun causes frozen dust and gas beneath the surface to be released. Sunlight reflects off of these gases, giving them the appearance of tails.

The comet was named for where it was discovered (ZTF) and the year it was discovered (2022). Since it was discovered in the first part of March, or the fifth “half-month” of the year, it was designated E, the fifth letter of the alphabet. Finally, it was third object discovered that half-month, hence “E3.”


What were humans doing the last time C/2022 E3 passed by?

It’s been 18,930,412 days since the comet last completed its orbit, according to data released by NASA’s JPL. At that time, Homo erectus, the predecessor to Homo sapiens, and Neanderthals were using stone tools.

Some settlements were believed to have existed in valleys. The first bladed weapons were invented, as well as the fish hook and rope.

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=avjdKTqiVvQ

quote:

To put it into perspective, Neanderthals still walked the Earth the last time the comet passed over.

Yeah, and look what happened to them!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=avjdKTqiVvQ[/QUOTE]Seems things haven't changed all that much...perhaps be the time it comes by next time...

Or this.....

According to that picture, it's going to pass incredibly close to Mars. I can't believe we can't point all the crap on and orbiting Mars to look at it.

With the comet at its closest point to earth I'm bumping this thread for the sky watchers.

My camera is down at the moment so I'm hoping for some photos from some of the forum shutterbugs.

Edited to add: When I first read the article I posted above I keyed in on the early February date for viewing the comet at its closest point to earth, but re-reading the article again, I see now that the comet is also transitioning to the Southern hemisphere in the same timeframe, so I'm hoping we still have a viewing window here in the Northern hemisphere.

Being more a "Night of the Comet" guy, I plan on locking myself in a lead something or other until it's over.

-Rob

I went out just after 05:00 this morning and spent just under an hour outside watching the morning sky. A few prominent stars and one very large waxing gibbous moon low on the horizon, with some high thin cloud cover and some low hanging clouds or fog in my Northwest sky. Spent enough time outside to watch the lowest star and the moon slip below the nearby mountain range... but no green comet.

I'm not sure just how low on the horizon this comet is supposed to be visible, but between the street light pollution, the moon, and the mountain range, I'm guessing conditions weren't optimal, so I think I'll set my alarm for 04:00 tonight, and try again earlier in the morning sky.

Hope some of you are having better luck.

We found it the other night using the Night Sky app. It uses augmented reality on your phone screen to get you pointed in the right direction. Too much light pollution for us to get a great look, we’re going to go a little bit out of the city limits tonight with a cheap Celestron and hopefully get a look.

"Your package is out for delivery"

^^^

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
We found it the other night using the Night Sky app.

...

Glad you got to see it! About what time of the morning did you see it, and can you give me some idea of how low on the horizon you saw it? I'm trying not to clog up my phone with more apps but, if I can't find it without one, I'll use it.

Comet Tracker: Exactly Where To See The ‘Green Comet’ Tonight (But Don’t Look Directly At It)

Jamie Carter
Senior Contributor

Feb 3, 2023,07:15am EST

I inspire people to go stargazing, watch the Moon, enjoy the night sky


The Green Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) in the[-]
constellation of Draco on the morning of 23 Jan 2023
GETTY

Are you poised for a “green comet”-hunt tonight? Here’s the comet tracker you need.

Before you embark on a mission to finally see comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) you need to steal yourself for what might be a frustrating experience. Firstly, you’ll need binoculars. Secondly, you’ll need patience. Thirdly, you’ll need a good idea of where to look. Finally, you’ll need to gaze slightly to the side of it to really appreciate it.

As luck would have it, the so-called “green comet” (though it doesn’t look green to the eye) is this weekend passing very close to a very bright star called Capella.

That’s the good news. With the sky-charts below you should be able to pick out C/2022 E3 (ZTF) if you use binoculars (10x50 or similar will be perfect).

The bad news is that this weekend also sees the rise of a full Moon.

Everyone loves a full Moon, but its presence in the night sky is unbelievably light-polluting. Most people don’t appreciate how much glare comes off the Moon when it’s brightly-lit—as it has been all week—but also that a full Moon is roughly six times brighter than last weekend’s half-lit First Quarter Moon.

It makes traveling to a dark sky destination outside of cities and away from artificial light pollution particularly pointless.

The full Moon is making comet-hunting more difficult (after all, comets tend to be faint fuzzy blobs at the best of times and C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is no different).

So be warned: you will need a large dose of patience and perseverance. That said, the full Moon is nowhere near bright enough to blot-out Capella, the sixth-brightest star in the night sky.

All you need to do it find Capella at a specific time this weekend, place them in your binoculars and you should see comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

When to look for comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) this weekend

Your best remaining chance to see the comet will be on Sunday, February 5 when it will be close to Capella. It will be in the same field of view of a pair of 10x50 binoculars. However, if you have a clear sky on Saturday, February 4 you will be able to see comet approaching Capella and the constellation of Auriga.



Where to look for comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) this[-]
weekend
STELLARIUM/JAMIE CARTER



Where to look for comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) this weekend

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is visible for most of the night. While its moving gradually through the night sky the background stars will move more quickly, so its relative position to you will change throughout the night.

However, the comet is almost now at the zenith—directly above your head. So expect rapid neck-strain, particularly if you’re holding binoculars (which you will need to be doing to see the comet).

Look east, find the Moon, and carry on up the sky to almost directly above you. You’ll see Capella. To check, you should see reddish Mars to the right, with Orion’s Belt below that.

You’re in the comet zone! Now scan around Capella with binoculars and you’ll see a fuzzy blob. Resist the temptation to say “is that it?” and learn, below, how to look at it properly.



Where to look for comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) this[-] weekend
STELLARIUM/JAMIE CARTER


How to look for comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) this weekend

Once you have C/2022 E3 (ZTF) in the field of view of your binoculars (or telescope) you should use a tried-and-trusted stargazing technique called “averted vision.” By looking slightly off to one side of the comet, instead of directly at it, the sensitive part of your eye that detects brightness instead of detail will be stimulated. In short, look to the side of C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and it will appear brighter than if you look directly at it.

And if you were wondering how to take photos of the “green comet,” look at this image, below—and be happy that there are people in this world that have gone to enormous trouble and expense to photograph C/2022 E3 (ZTF)!



Astrophotographers Mohammad al-Obaidi (R) and[-]
Abdullah al-Harbi follow the Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) early on February 2, 2023, at the al-Salmi desert, some 120 kilometres northwest of Kuwait City. - The comet, visible to the naked eye, is shooting past Earth and the Sun for the first time in 50,000 years, astronomers say. (Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat / AFP) (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
Glad you got to see it! About what time of the morning did you see it, and can you give me some idea of how low on the horizon you saw it? I'm trying not to clog up my phone with more apps but, if I can't find it without one, I'll use it.

This was maybe 11:00 last night, Arizona time. It was fairly high up in the sky, definitely not low on the horizon for me. I took a screenshot of Night Sky just now, looking N/NE:

Can we get it to zero in on California?

Bummer … just got cloudy … should have looked yesterday

quote:

Green comet coming!!

Popping smoke, on my grid, send it!