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Not to be missed Comet ZTF (ZTF) is the closest to Earth in 50,000 years tonight, visible to the naked eye. Open the technique to find the stars, click here.
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is at its closest position to Earth for 50,000 years and is a natural phenomenon not to be missed. This is the first astronomical phenomenon that occurred in February 2023.
The National Astronomical Research Institute (NARIT) or NARIT has provided data indicating that comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is a long-period comet. Rotating the Sun in about 50,000 years, it was discovered in early March 2022 by the wide-angle telescope network of the Zwicky Transient Facility.
The object initially had an apparent magnitude of 17.3, before brightening until astronomers recognized it as a comet. And it is fortunate that the increase in brightness is now visible to the naked eye.
For people interested in monitoring comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), in this period, if it is in a completely dark area, it can be seen with the naked eye in the northern sky around the constellation Giraffe. (Camelopardalis) from about 10:00 pm
by early February That’s when this comet is closest to Earth. It can be observed (February 1-2) from sunset to dawn before sunrise the next day. Expect a slight increase in brightness.
Comet Locating Techniques
Try to observe a celestial object that appears hazy or a star that is not as sharp as other stars. If you use a telescope or binoculars to help observe, it will help to confirm and see the comet more clearly and when recording this comet through the camera with a long exposure, you can observe the unique tail of the comet and the this green color
Previously, the NARIT Facebook page published a photo of comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) from the top of Doi Inthanon, Chiang Mai Province on January 28, 2023 early in the morning around 3:00 am-4:00 am From this photo, 3 tails are visible from the comet, viz
The “ion tail” has the longest character. bifurcated Point straight to the top left corner.
The “dust tail” has a cloudy appearance to the left, although it is not clear now. But there is a chance that the dust tail will be seen more clearly as it approaches Earth.
Finally, “Antitail” is getting harder to spot. Because this type of tail can be seen for a short time. Only when the comet passes between the Earth and the Sun. and the Earth only passes through or approaches the orbital plane of the comet.
