{"id":41041,"date":"2023-01-31T15:26:48","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T15:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/?p=115734"},"modified":"2023-01-31T16:32:31","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T16:32:31","slug":"what-to-expect-from-green-comet-c-2022-e3-ztf-in-february-2023","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/what-to-expect-from-green-comet-c-2022-e3-ztf-in-february-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"What to expect from Green Comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF in February 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF dims as it rapidly heads south this month. Catch it while you can! <\/p>

By Pete Lawrence\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 31 January 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Assuming that it continues to follow predictions, comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF will be in naked-eye territory this month, and fairly well-placed for viewing from the UK.<\/p>\n

On 1 February<\/strong>, the comet is located at high declination in the constellation of Camelopardalis, the Giraffe.<\/p>\n

Not known for strong patterns, the faint stars of Camelopardalis will make finding the comet that little bit harder.<\/p>\n

Find out more in our Comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF<\/a> blog<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF is expected to dim as it rapidly heads south in February 2023. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Comet C2022 E3 ZTF: February dates and times<\/strong><\/h2>\n

At 00:00 UT on 1 February<\/strong>, Comet E3 is located 2\u00b0 south of mag. +4.6 HIP 33694, the star that marks the top of the giraffe\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

This star is, in itself, quite tricky to identify.<\/p>\n

The best we can do is to suggest looking at the point midway between Dubhe<\/a> (Alpha (\u03b1<\/span>) Ursae Majoris) and Segin (Epsilon (\u03b5<\/span>) Cassiopeiae).<\/p>\n

HIP 33694 sits more or less half way between these two brighter and more identifiable stars.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
C\/2022 E3 (ZTF) photographed on 19 January 2023 by Jos\u00e9 J. Chambo from Valles, Valencia, Spain.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

At 00:00 UT on 2 February<\/strong>, Comet E3 will have progressed to another \u2018main\u2019 star of Camelopardalis, HIP 29997, with C\/2022 E3 lying 1\u00b0 to the north of this mag. +4.8 star on this date.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As it continues on its south-southwest journey, the comet thankfully passes into a region of more identifiable stars within Auriga<\/a>, the Charioteer.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, as it does so it will be slowly beginning to fade.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
5\/6 February: Comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF passes close to Capella, although a bright Moon will spoil the view. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

On the night of 5\/6 February<\/strong>, C\/2022 E3 ZTF is very conveniently positioned 1\u00b0 west-northwest to west of Capella<\/a> (Alpha (\u03b1<\/span>) Aurigae).<\/p>\n

At 03:00 UT on 6 February<\/strong>, the comet is located 1.5\u00b0 due west of the star and expected to appear at mag. +5.2.<\/p>\n

It passes immediately west of the Kids asterism formed by Eta (\u03b7<\/span>) and Zeta (\u03b6<\/span>) Aurigae during the morning of 7 February<\/strong>, and lies two-thirds of a degree to the west of Hassaleh (Iota (\u03b9<\/span>) Aurigae) on the evening of 8 February<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Its subsequent track takes it east of Mars. On the night of 10\/11 February<\/strong> it lies northeast of the mag. 0.0 planet, and on 11\/12 February<\/strong> it can be found to the southeast.<\/p>\n

This is the time C\/2022 E3 ZTF is expected to have an integrated magnitude of +6.0, theoretically moving into binocular territory, although in truth it was probably here for most of the month anyway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At 00:00 UT on 15 February<\/strong>, the comet sits 1.5\u00b0 east of Aldebaran<\/a> (Alpha (\u03b1<\/span>) Tauri), heading south to track just west of the curved line formed from Pi1<\/sup> (\u2260<\/span>1<\/sup>)<\/span> to Pi6<\/sup> (\u2260<\/span>6<\/sup>) <\/span>Orionis between 18 February<\/strong> through to the start of March.<\/p>\n

By the time the end of the month has arrived, it is expected to have faded to mag. +8.1.<\/p>\n

This guide originally appeared in the February 2023 issue of <\/strong><\/em>BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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