Orpington Astronomical Society

Astronomy => In the Media... => Topic started by: Rick on Jan 24, 2023, 06:00:56

Title: Exotic green comet not seen since stone age returns to skies above Earth
Post by: Rick on Jan 24, 2023, 06:00:56
Exotic green comet not seen since stone age returns to skies above Earth

An exotic green comet that has not passed Earth since the time of the Neanderthals has reappeared in the sky ready for its closest approach to the planet next week.

Discovered last March by astronomers at the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory in California, comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was calculated to orbit the sun every 50,000 years, meaning it last tore past our home planet in the stone age.

More: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jan/23/exotic-green-comet-not-seen-since-stone-age-returns-to-skies-above-earth
Title: Re: Exotic green comet not seen since stone age returns to skies above Earth
Post by: The Thing on Jan 24, 2023, 15:59:10
That's what (ZTF) stands for! Ta Rick.
Title: Comet ZTF: Orbital Plane Crossing
Post by: Rick on Jan 28, 2023, 08:06:23
Comet ZTF: Orbital Plane Crossing

APOD: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230127.html