Green comet to streak across the sky in 2023 for first time since Stone Age - WJW FOX 8 News Cleveland

by: Eric Henrikson

Posted: Jan 14, 2023 / 06:50 PM EST

Updated: Jan 14, 2023 / 06:58 PM EST

AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) — This month, skygazers volition beryllium treated to a once-in-a-civilization sight: a greenish comet named C/2022 E3 (ZTF) approaching Earth.

The comet, which past passed done our star strategy a small much than 50,000 years ago, reached its perihelion (or its closest constituent to the sun) connected Jan. 12, erstwhile it was wrong 100 cardinal miles of the sun, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

On Feb. 2, the comet volition lone beryllium astir 26 cardinal miles from Earth. This is the closest it has passed since the Upper Paleolithic era, an epoch of quality past erstwhile Homo sapiens are believed to person near Africa and settled successful Asia and Europe.

To enactment it into perspective, Neanderthals inactive walked the Earth the past clip the comet passed over.

What volition the E3 comet look like?

According to NASA, predicting the brightness of a comet is difficult. NASA said that if it continues to brighten, it should beryllium disposable with the bare eye. It’ll besides beryllium agleam green.

This graphic released by NASA shows the way the “Green Comet” volition instrumentality crossed the star system. (NASA)

NASA said that successful the Northern Hemisphere, the comet volition beryllium disposable successful the mornings toward the northwest. In February, it volition determination beneath the skyline and go disposable successful the Southern Hemisphere.

Viewers whitethorn beryllium capable to spot the comet with the bare eye, but binoculars oregon a scope volition beryllium the champion bet.

How was the E3 comet discovered?

Discovered by astronomers Bryce Bolin and Frank Masci astatine the Zwicky Transient Facility successful March 2022, the E3 comet was archetypal spotted adjacent Jupiter. It was initially believed to beryllium an asteroid, according to Space.com.

As it traveled person to the sun, it grew brighter. Comets bash this arsenic the vigor of the prima causes frozen particulate and state beneath the aboveground to beryllium released. Sunlight reflects disconnected of these gases, giving them the quality of tails.

The comet was named for wherever it was discovered (ZTF) and the twelvemonth it was discovered (2022). Since it was discovered successful the archetypal portion of March, oregon the 5th “half-month” of the year, it was designated E, the 5th missive of the alphabet. Finally, it was 3rd entity discovered that half-month, hence “E3.”

What were humans doing the past clip C/2022 E3 passed by?

It’s been 18,930,412 days since the comet past completed its orbit, according to information released by NASA’s JPL. At that time, Homo erectus, the predecessor to Homo sapiens, and Neanderthals were utilizing chromatic tools.

Some settlements were believed to person existed successful valleys. The archetypal bladed weapons were invented, arsenic good arsenic the food hook and rope.