That 'green comet' is coming. Can you see it from the Midwest? Well, yeah. But ...
A green comet cometh to Earth's night sky!
You may have read on the internet about a new, nighttime visitor to the skies – a "bright" comet that is coming closer to Earth and looking decidedly green in color. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately, don't believe the hype about this comet. It shouldn't be a good one.
The comet, named C/2022 E3 (ZTF), circles the sun about every 50,000 years. If the comet behaves as predicted, it will not be visible to the naked eye. In fact, it will require binoculars or even a telescope to spot it. An image of Comet ZTF taken by Cincinnati Observatory member Eric Harris required a 2-hour exposure.
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We have not had a truly bright comet since Hale-Bopp in 1997. And Comet ZTF will be nowhere near as bright as the comet of 2020, Neowise. So if you go searching for the comet, lower your expectations. And bring a telescope.
The good news: Where to look for 'the green comet'
The good news is that Comet ZTF is quickly moving into the evening sky so you can look for it in prime time. Jan. 25-31, after 9 p.m., scan the northern skies between the Big and Little Dippers with binoculars. Maybe you will chance upon a little fuzzy star (that's what the comet may look like). In February, the comet will be higher in the sky all night and appear above the North Star. Perhaps the easiest night to find it will be Feb. 5 when Comet ZTF will stand next to Capella, an exceptionally bright star in the constellation Auriga.
For more info and a finder chart for the comet see:cincinnatiobservatory.org/dean-regas/deans-list.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: That 'green comet' is coming. Will we be able to see it from Midwest?
