Despite the fact that 2023 has only started, the cosmos are already poised to create history.
In a few weeks, a recently discovered comet will be visible during what is expected to be its one and only recorded appearance. The comet is supposed to have originated near the edge of our solar system and has since traveled billions of kilometers.
The comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was first observed when it crossed through Jupiter’s orbit in March 2022. The Oort Cloud, the farthest region of the solar system, is where N.A.S.A believes this long-period comet originated. The Oort Cloud is defined as “like a massive, thick-walled bubble created of frozen bits of space debris” and may eventually expand to be even bigger than mountains.
The inner limit of this zone lies between 2,000 and 5,000 astronomical units (AUs), or 186 billion and 465 billion miles, from the sun, according to calculations.
This suggests that C/2022 E3 (ZTF) undertook a special, unusual journey to be close to Earth.
The majority of well-known long-period comets have only ever been observed once in history due to their extremely lengthy orbital periods, according to N.A.S.A. “Untold numbers of other long-period comets remain undiscovered. Some of them have such lengthy orbits that when they last traveled through the inner solar system, human species had not yet evolved.”
A1 Siding C/2013 This type of recent comet, Spring, has already traveled through the inner solar system and passed by Mars in 2014. The space agency predicts that it won’t come back for approximately 740,000 years.
According to Jessica Lee, an astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the E3 comet may provide a similar scenario.
“We don’t have an estimate for the furthest it will get from the Earth yet — estimates vary — but if it does return it won’t be for at least 50,000 years,” she said. “…Some predictions suggest that the orbit of this comet is so eccentric it’s no longer in an orbit-so it’s not going to return at all and will just keep going.”
The freshly found E3 comet will now reach its closest approach to the sun on January 12. It has been seen to have a vivid greenish coma and “short wide” dust tail. On February 2, it will get as near to Earth as it will.
In December, Californian astronomer Dan Bartlett was able to picture the comet from his garden. He said that he could make out “intricate tail structure” in the comet’s plasma tail and that “conditions are becoming better.”
According to N.A.S.A, the comet will be seen with binoculars if everything goes according to plan and its brightness trend continues. Away from city lights, it could also be seen with the unaided eye. According to N.A.S.A, the comet will be visible in the morning hours of January in the northern hemisphere and in the early morning hours of February in the southern hemisphere.
“This comet isn’t expected to be quite the spectacle that Comet NEOWISE was back in 2020,” the agency added. “But it’s still an awesome opportunity to make a personal connection with an icy visitor from the distant outer solar system.”
