Newly Discovered Comet Will Pass Earth in February: All You Need to Know

A newly discovered comet, one that hasn’t been seen in 50,000 years, is set to become visible to the naked eye in the coming weeks. Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will make its closest approach to Earth on February 2, when it is expected to brighten in the night sky.

According to NASAThe comet was first observed by astronomers in March last year via the Wide-field Survey Camera at the Zwicky Transient Facility. It was orbiting Jupiter at that time and has increased in brightness since then.

Comets are cosmic snowballs made of frozen gases, rocks and dust that orbit the Sun. While these celestial bodies are small in size when frozen, they heat up as they approach the Sun and release gases and dust into a large luminous head larger than most planets.

According to the US space agency, C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is currently making its way through the inner Solar System and may reach our planet in the coming weeks. It will be at perihelion, or closest to the Sun, on January 12. Next, the comet will fly past Earth on February 2, when it will be at a distance of 26.4 million miles (42.5 million kilometers) from our planet.

According to space.com, the comet’s orbital period was determined to be approximately 50,000 years. That means it will be making its first approach to Earth in 50,000 years next month.

The brightness of a comet is hard to predict, but by the time it approaches Earth, it is expected to be visible to the naked eye in the night sky. In January, it is most likely to be visible in the morning sky in the Northern Hemisphere. for who live in the southern hemisphereComet will make its presence felt till the beginning of February.

You can watch the comet live as it passes the Sun Virtual Telescope Project website,