Naked-eye Comet ZTF
Image Credit &
Copyright:
Óscar Martín Mesonero
(Organización Salmantina de la Astronáutica y el Espacio)
Comet C/2022E3 (ZTF) is no longer too dim to require a telescope for viewing.
By January 19, it
could just be seen
with the naked eye in this
rural sky with little light pollution from a location about 20 kilometers
from Salamanca, Spain.
Still, telescopic images
are needed to show any hint of the comet's pretty green
coma, stubby whitish dust tail, and long ion tail.
Its faint ion tail
has been buffeted by
recent solar activity.
This visitor from the
distant Oort cloud
rounded the Sun on January 12.
and is now sweeping through stars near the
northern boundary
of the constellation Bootes.
Outward bound
but still growing brighter, Comet ZTF makes its closest approach
on February 2, coming to within about 2.4 light-minutes of our fair planet.