Over the next two weeks, we’ll have the chance to see a rare green comet that is flying by the Earth for the first time in about 50,000 years.
At its closest point on Wednesday, it will come within 26 million miles of our planet. It’s expected to be at its brightest around Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 and just barely visible to the naked eye.“This literally is current humankind’s one and only chance to see this comet because even if it does return to our part of the solar system, we’re talking like 50,000 years in the future,” said Michelle Nichols, Adler Planetarium’s director of public observing. “That alone kind of makes it a little special.
Green-hued comets are seen a little less frequently than comets that are yellowish-white or blue . The color all depends on the type of stuff the comet is made of, what it is emitting and what happens when light hits it, Nichols said. For comet C/2022 E3 , when ultraviolet light from the sun hits it, a specific molecule emits a green light.What does the name mean?
The “C/” portion of C/2022 E3 indicates that it’s a comet. Next, 2022 is for the year it was discovered, while “E” indicates the specific time period, in this case, the first half of March. The “3″ means that it’s the third comet to be discovered in that time period. Finally, “ZTF” stands for Zwicky Transient Facility, which is the facility in California that discovered the comet.“Comets and asteroids basically are all leftovers from the formation of the solar system,” Nichols said.
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The Comet Interceptor probe could visit a stunning object like the green C/2022 E3 (ZTF)Meghan is a senior writer at Space.com and has more than five years' experience as a science journalist based in New York City. She joined Space.com in July 2018, with previous writing published in outlets including Newsweek and Audubon. Meghan earned an MA in science journalism from New York University and a BA in classics from Georgetown University, and in her free time she enjoys reading and visiting museums. Follow her on Twitter at meghanbartels.
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