February 1, 2023
Tonight may be the astronomical event of the year. A recently discovered comet C/2022 E3, also known as the Green Comet, is making its closest approach to Earth since the Stone Age. During this perigee, it will pass about 26 million miles away. That is 28% of the distance we are from the sun but 100 times farther than the moon. It is all relative perspective.
Tonight will be the best chance to maybe see with the naked eye or simple binoculars. More on the location below.
From Clem Fischer | AstroFisching in the UK.
Note: The ion tail and anti-tail structure are a result of heating from our sun resulting in ice and material turning to gas. This appears to get longer as it gets closer to the sun. The solar wind will always push it away from the sun, so this is not an indication of the movement as the tail is not along the prior path, just away from the sun.
This comet was only just discovered last March 2, 2022, by astronomers using the Zwicky Transient Facility’s wide-field survey camera at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California.
It made the closest approach to the sun on January 12, but is only making it’s closest approach to Earth today.
The track has been mathematically extrapolated to show C/2022 E3 has an orbit around our sun of around 50,000 years. That means it last passed by Earth during the interglacial Stone Age.
This is circumpolar, meaning it remains above the horizon or doesn’t set. For us it will appear to the North, near the North Star Polaris. There is a green tint to the color, and some talented night photographers have been able to capture it.
It will be seen in the Northwest, but become more visible to the Southern Hemisphere by Friday.
6:49 p.m. EST on Wednesday (Feb. 1) it will be seen 49 degrees over the northern horizon.
9:46 p.m. EST: The comet will climb will apex (reach the highest point) at 58 degrees over the northern horizon.
5:57 a.m. EST : It will disappear in the twilight around dawn light on Feb. 2 while, it should be near 30 degrees over the horizon to the north.
(online resources and video link is below)
Our friend Peter Forster captured this from central Virginia last week.
Comet E3 from Central Virginia late last night. Beautiful ion tail and anti-tail structure, easily visible in 60″ exposures and even wider frames. I can confirm that it is barely naked eye visible!
Stacked photo – 5x 60″ 400mm comet detail. #comet c/2022 e3 ZTF pic.twitter.com/lCHTaW5Y0A
— Peter Forister ❄️💨❄️ (@forecaster25) January 24, 2023
Major changes in the structure of Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) with the appearance of a large anti-tail. First photo 24 Jan 10:50 UTC. Second shows comet development from 30 Dec – 24 Jan. Photographed from Cismont, Virginia. #C2022 #c2022e3ztf #c2022e3 pic.twitter.com/yZ09S9kxIQ
— Brennan Gilmore (@brennanmgilmore) January 24, 2023
Another Winning Photo And More Info
Comet E3 captured on January 26th from my garden in Cambridgeshire, UK.
Also showing a break in the ion tail 👀
Captured with my WO Redcat51 and ASI2600MC
Full detail here https://t.co/V3f6mriVKG#CometZTF #cometE3 #Comet #Astrophotography #space pic.twitter.com/5VV351Ysph
— Clem Fischer | AstroFisching (@CFischer36) January 30, 2023
A free webcast will be broadcast starting at 11 PM (Feb 1) from space.com
Click here for that viewing window.
Winter History: Low Snow And Late Starts
See my research based on Baltimore data since 1883.
Click here for the full report
Click to see more and ‘Book’ a visit to your school
I see many factors to support colder influence with multiple systems. Early and later in winter. Check it out.
Atmospheric Memory Suggests Active Winter Storm Pattern Outlook
Winter Outlook 2023 From NOAA Very Different Than Farmers Almanacs
Winter Outlook 2023 Early Look At Snow From Two Farmers Almanacs
https://justinweather.com/2022/09/09/winter-outlook-2023-la-nina-triple-dip-expectations/
If you want a snowy winter, this is what you might want to look for in the rest of the tropical season.
Record August For No Named Tropical Storms: Closer Look At Snow Following
Winter Weather Folklore Top 20 And More Outlook Signals From Nature For Cold And Snow
