Rare, green comet to pass by Earth starting this week - ABC News

If you're looking astatine the nighttime skies implicit the adjacent period and marque retired a tiny greenish airy successful the sky, don't panic, aliens haven't landed.

A uncommon greenish comet is expected to walk by Earth this week and volition beryllium disposable successful the nighttime entity for astir a month, according to NASA and astronomers.

This handout representation obtained from the NASA website shows the Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) that was discovered by astronomers utilizing the wide-field survey camera astatine the Zwicky Transient Facility.

Dan Bartlett/NASA/AFP via Getty Images

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was discovered past March erstwhile it was already wrong the orbit of Jupiter. It is distinguishable by its greenish glow.

NASA scientists said the comet is expected to marque its closest attack to the sun, oregon perihelion, connected Jan. 12, and volition beryllium disposable to stargazers successful the Northern Hemisphere. Those successful the Southern Hemisphere should beryllium capable to presumption the comet successful February.

"Comets are notoriously unpredictable, but if this 1 continues its existent inclination successful brightness, it'll beryllium casual to spot with binoculars, and it's conscionable imaginable it could go disposable to the unaided oculus nether acheronian skies," NASA wrote connected its "What's Up" blog earlier this month.

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) passes closest to Earth connected Feb. 2, 2023.

NASA

The comet volition displacement to the northwest connected the skyline passim January and it volition marque its closest walk of Earth betwixt Feb. 1 and Feb. 2, according to NASA. During that time, the comet volition beryllium 26 cardinal miles distant from the planet, according to astronomers.

The comet volition beryllium adjacent to Mars astir a week later, according to astronomy charts.