“New Year’s comet” is approaching the Earth: What is known about it
(ORDO NEWS) — Comet C/ 2022 E3 (ZTF) is approaching our planet . If you have binoculars, you can observe it.
It will sweep through the solar system closer to the New Year. Now astronomers are already observing it through professional telescopes.
Comet C / 2022 E3 (ZTF) was discovered this year. On the eve of Christmas, it began to approach the solar system, so scientists began to call it “Christmas”.
Astronomers say that C/2022 E3 will reach its peak brightness in about a week, in early January.
This is quite an interesting object in space for research and observation. At first, scientists thought that this is an ordinary asteroid, of which there are simply a huge number.
But with more careful observations, the main distinguishing feature was revealed the tails of the comet (ion and dust)!
A space object was discovered in March 2022 using the Zwicky Transient Facility.
By the way, the designation E3 indicates that it was discovered in the 3rd month of 2022, and the letter Z refers to the device with which it was detected in space.
It is now passing in the constellation of the Northern Crown, the glow of the comet is expected to become twice as bright, and it will be more visible.
It will really be possible to see it during daylight hours. In the first days of January for C / 2022 E3 can be observed from sunset to dawn. And already on January 12, it will fly as close as possible to the Sun.
The comet will approach the Earth only on February 1, 2023, and then it will fly back to the edge of the Solar System.
Scientists assume that Halley’s comet flew over the sky on the eve of Christmas (according to biblical stories).
It was she who was remembered as a Christmas star, and now history actually repeated itself. Many people already put a positive meaning in this phenomenon.
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