Lucknow/Dubai: A recently discovered Comet, C 2022 E3 ZTF, is fast approaching towards Earth and it will come closest to our planet in January last week and will be visible for the next 7 to 8 days.
To mark this once-in-50,000-year event, Dubai Astronomy Group (DAG) has arranged a special ticketed observation session at the Al Qudra desert from 06:30 pm to 09:30 pm on February 04, 2023.
The centre will offer telescope observations of the comet, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, and distant objects, as well as astrophotography sessions, sky mapping, and more.
The Comet will be at a distance of approximately 41.8 million kilometres from Earth and will be visible until February 05, 2023 in the UAE.
“The comet’s brightness is difficult to predict. However, it will be viewable with the help of binoculars and small telescopes”, Dubai Astronomy Group CEO, Hasan Al Hariri, told the media.
Indira Gandhi Planetarium in Lucknow has also arranged special sessions throughout the week. Visitors to the Planetarium will be provided binoculars and telescopes to have a better and clearer look. Officials will also provide assistance and related details to visitors.
"The comet will be visible across the world, including India and can be seen with naked eyes if sky is clear", the Planetarium said.
The comet, named C/2022 E3 (ZTF), was first sighted in March last year, when it was already inside the orbit of Jupiter. At the time of its discovery, it was shining with a magnitude of 17.3.
It was named after the Zwicky Transient Facility which first spotted it last year using the wide-field survey camera.
India's Himalayan Chandra Telescope also claimed capturing the Comet ZTF image last seen by Neanderthals.
The comet makes its closest approach to the Sun on January 12, and then passes its closest to Earth on February 2, NASA had earlier said in a blog post.
It will be seen as a green-coloured nucleus for the first time. The green-coloured glow of the Comet will be caused by the carbon gas presence. The experts have stated that people can watch the comet with the naked eye.
"Comets are notoriously unpredictable, but if this one continues its current trend in brightness, it'll be easy to spot with binoculars, and it's just possible it could become visible to the unaided eye under dark skies", NASA said.
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