How to see the green comet in Utah sky on Thursday

SALT LAKE CITY — On Thursday, a vibrant inexperienced comet will likely be passing within the night time sky over Utah.

Scientists consider this comet was final seen some 50,000 years in the past within the Higher Paleolithic Period, a time when the Neanderthal was nonetheless roaming the earth. The comet has a large eccentric orbit across the solar, and should not come close to earth once more.

The comet is known as Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), and was simply found final 12 months in March. Since its discovery, it has brightened considerably and may be brilliant sufficient to see with the bare eye because it passes by the constellation Corona Borealis in predawn skies. Its visibility is just not assured, nevertheless, because the brightness of comets tends to fluctuate unpredictably.

On Jan. 12, it is going to be at perihelion, its closest level to the solar. Earlier than the daybreak at round 4 a.m., you will discover it excessive within the northeastern sky, floating within the constellation Corona Borealis, which Leonard Thomas, an astronomy fanatic and radio host with KSL NewsRadio, stated appears like a “twinkly circle.”

Thomas recommends utilizing binoculars to see it, and stated it might seem as a streak within the sky. Quickly sufficient, it is going to move Earth once more at its closest level on Feb. 2.

In case you aren’t accessible within the early morning hours, you possibly can watch the comet in a free livestream from the Digital Telescope Undertaking on their YouTube channel at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

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