A vibrant green comet named C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will be approaching Earth in the month of January, providing a once-in-a-civilization sight. According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the comet last traversed the solar system in the Stone Age, some 50,000 years ago.
According to NASA, comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will reach its perihelion, or closest approach to the sun, on January 12.
At this point, it will be only 100 million miles from the star.
On February 2, it will be about 26 million miles from Earth, the closest it has been since the Upper Paleolithic era.
This is the epoch of human history when Homo sapiens is believed to have left Africa and settled in Asia and Europe.
This means that the last time the comet passed Earth, Neanderthals were still roaming the planet, KXAN reported.
C/2022 E3 (ZTF) -That Bright Green Comet
NASA claims that it is challenging to predict a comet's brightness. According to NASA, it will be bright green and visible with the naked eye if it keeps getting brighter as it has been.
NASA said that it will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere in the mornings, with the best views being to the Northwest.
It will descend below the horizon in February and emerge into view in the Southern Hemisphere.
The comet may be visible to the naked eye for night sky watchers, but using a pair of binoculars or a telescope will be the best bet.
The Sky Live reports that Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is currently approximately 126,732,665 kilometers (0.847156 astronomical units) away from Earth.
From Comet E3 to the earth, light must travel for 7 minutes and 2.7347 seconds.
E3 is currently visible from United States Arsenal AL (US) above the horizon.
It can be seen at an altitude of 15° above the horizon when looking west-northwest.
E3 can be seen with a 40-50mm aperture pair of binoculars or a small telescope at the present magnitude.
A live view of the comet and its location in space can be found on The Sky Live website.
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Naming E3
It was first seen near Jupiter in March 2022 and was found by Bryce Bolin and Frank Masci, both astronomers at the Zwicky Transient Facility.
Space.com noted that at first, asteroid theory was held.
It grew brighter as it approached the sun. Comets release gas and dust from beneath their surface when they are heated by the sun.
These gases reflect sunlight, giving them the appearance of having a tail.
According to KXAN, the name of the comet refers to the place of discovery (ZTF), the year of discovery (2022), and the half-month of discovery.
It was given the designation E because it was found in the first few days of March.
Lastly, it was the third object discovered during that half-month, hence E3.
Once-In-A-Civilization Comet
JPL data show that it has been 18,930,412 days since the bright green comet last finished its orbit.
During that time, stone tools were used by Neanderthals and Homo erectus, an ancestor of modern humans.
It was thought that some towns had been located in valleys.
The fish hook and rope were also created, as well as the first bladed weapons, KXAN reported.
Related article: Swarm of Fireballs Taurids can be Seen Every Night, All November, From Anywhere in the World
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