A comet could well be visible to the naked eye at the start of 2023. Indeed, C/2022 E3 (ZTF) should pass near our planet on February 1, at 0.28390 astronomical units from Earth. , or just over 42 million kilometers, reports Numerama.

Therefore, it could be close enough and bright enough to be seen without a specific instrument.


Astronomers discovered Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) in early March.

Its coma & tails are visible through a telescope and it's set to reach closest point to Sun & Earth in Jan & Feb 2021. Could be visible to naked eye in dark skies!

#NASA #Comet #SpaceExploration pic.twitter.com/lvsLwtB840

— Nasa Picture Of the Day 🌍✨ (@APOD_nasa_) December 24, 2022

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This comet was discovered in March 2022 thanks to an astronomical survey carried out using a telescope at the Palomar Observatory (California).

After remaining in Jupiter's orbit, C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is currently crossing the solar system.

Even if the trajectory of this type of object remains unpredictable, specialists are hopeful to see it get close enough to the Earth to allow observation with the naked eye.

A potential sighting in January

"The brightness of comets is notoriously unpredictable, but by then [note: early 2023], C/2022 E3 (ZTF) could become just visible to the naked eye in dark night skies," confirmed Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD), a site hosted by NASA.

Concretely, this comet could be visible during the month of January, in the northern hemisphere and in the morning sky, provided that you keep away from any source of light pollution.

For the inhabitants of the southern hemisphere, it will be necessary to wait until the beginning of February.

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