A comet that hasn’t been seen for millennia: here’s how to observe it from Belgium

A comet not seen for 50,000 years will soon pass close to Earth.

C/2022 E3 © Belga Image

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) does not approach our planet only once every 50,000 years, so you have to take advantage of it! It will be visible from the Netherlands and Belgium on February 1, 2023. Its last passage over the Earth dates back to the Neanderthal period, indicates the RTBF.

According to Sky at Night Magazinethe comet was first spotted in March 2022.

A timelapse from 30 minutes of #comet C/2022 E3 ZTF passing through the northern skies. It’s very dim, made visible here by 4-second exposures. pic.twitter.com/nMRvwakKmb

— Ross McLendon (@rossmclendon) January 21, 2023

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« Comets are notoriously unpredictable, but if this one continues its current trend in brightness, it will be easy to spot with binoculars, and it’s just possible it will become visible to the naked eye under dark skies. “, indicates the NASA on his blog.

Ce 1^is February, to maximize your chances of seeing it, it is advisable to get away from the light pollution of cities and bring binoculars or a telescope. The comet will be located between Ursa Minor and Ursa Major. Don’t forget to take a sky map to find your way around!