Today’s picture for NASA astronomy is a stunning image of a comet that is scheduled to pass Earth next month.
Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gas, rock, and dust about the size of a small city. A comet also orbits the Sun, but unlike an asteroid, it is made mostly of ice and dust. When a comet approaches the sun, its ice and dust content begins to evaporate. Therefore, when seen in a telescope, a comet appears fuzzy and has a tail. So, if you are an avid comet-watcher, there is exciting news for you. A comet last seen by Neanderthals is scheduled to pass Earth this year.
Today’s picture for NASA astronomy is a stunning image of Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) a long comet originating in Oort, taken by astrophotographer Jose Francisco Hernandez. The period of the comet is about 50,000 years, which means that the last time it flew close to Earth, it was seen by Neanderthals during the Upper Paleolithic period on Earth. According to NASA, it is currently located about 100 million miles from Earth, but it is hurtling toward our planet at speed.
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NASA explained
Comet ZTF may become visible to the naked eye. Discovered early last year, this massive snow globe has moved closer to Earth and Earth. C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will be closest to the Sun later this week, at which time it may become visible even without binoculars to northern observers in clear, dark skies. As they get closer to the Sun, it is difficult to predict the brightness of comets.
In the featured image taken last week in front of a picturesque starfield, three blue ion tails extend to the upper right, likely the result of a shifting solar wind on ions spewed out by the icy comet’s nucleus. The comet’s white dust tail can be seen above left and is much shorter. The green glow is the comet’s coma caused by glowing carbon gas. Comet ZTF is expected to pass as soon as early February, after which it should dim significantly.
About Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was discovered by astronomers using the Zwicky Transit Facility’s Wide Field Survey Camera in 2022 in early March. Astronomers say it will come within about 26 million miles of Earth on February 1.
Although comets are usually unlikely to be visible to the naked eye, Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) can be visible to people around the world watching with the naked eye for a few days around the period of its closest approach.