a green comet The one that last appeared 50,000 years ago has finally returned to the night sky.
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) It will be visible tonight and every night this week for people in the Northern Hemisphere when skies are clear.
The comet’s perihelion is on Wednesday, February 1, which means it is possible to see the comet with the naked eye.
At its closest point to Earth, the E3 comet will pass within 42 million kilometers (26 million miles) of our planet, having traveled 4.5 trillion km over the past 50,000 years.
Astronomers have calculated through orbital computations that the comet may never pass us by again.
The best way to see the comet is on a clear night, as far away from sources of light pollution as possible.
Astronomers advise hopeful skygazers to let their eyes get used to the dark, which can take up to 30 minutes to adjust properly. It is not recommended to look at the phone screen or any other light source during this time.
There are several astronomy apps available to find where a comet is in the sky, such as Skyview Lite, SkySafari, and Sky Map.
The position of the comet in the sky will depend on the date, astronomers have compiled a calendar showing where to look for what day.
Monday, January 30 – Tuesday, January 31: near the star polaris
Wednesday, February 1: At its closest point to Earth, the green comet will appear larger and brighter. It will be visible near the Camelopardalis constellation
Thursday, February 2 – Saturday, February 4: Auriga and Camelopardalis among the constellations
Weather forecasts from the UK Met Office suggest that the best time to see the comet in the UK will be around 4am on Wednesday morning when cloud cover will be at its minimum. You can see the latest forecast for your area Here,