Comet visible to the naked eye is a rare phenomenon

a comet It could be visible to the naked eye at the beginning of 2023. In fact, C / 2022 E3 (ZTF) should pass very close to our planet on February 1, at 0.28390 units. astronomical affiliate a landor just over 42 million kilometers, reports Numerama. Therefore, it can be close and bright enough to be seen without a specific instrument.

This comet was discovered in March 2022 thanks to an astronomical survey conducted using a telescope at the Palomar Observatory (California). After staying in orbit JupiterC/2022 E3 (ZTF) is currently traversing the solar system. Even if the trajectory of this type of object remains unpredictable, specialists hope to see it get close enough to Earth to allow for naked-eye observation.

Possible sighting in January

The brightness of comets is known to be unpredictable, but even then [ndlr : début 2023]“C/2022 E3 (ZTF) may become barely visible to the naked eye in the dark night sky,” Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) confirmed, a website it hosts. NASA.

Concretely, this comet can be seen during the month of January, in the northern hemisphere and in the morning sky, provided that it is far from any source of light pollution. For residents of the southern hemisphere, it will be necessary to wait until the beginning of February.