AFP reports that a comet of ice and dust will pass the Earth and the Sun in January and February. The greenish light phenomenon was last visible from Earth 50,000 years ago.

You only get a chance like this once in a lifetime. The comet will whiz past the Sun and Earth in the coming weeks. It has been 50,000 years since it passed – then the Neanderthals got to see it.

It consists of ice and dust and will give a greenish glow to the sky. The comet is called C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and is named after the California-based Zwicky Transient Facility Space Project.

The comet was discovered last March when it passed Jupiter. It is a full kilometer in diameter, smaller than the previous comet that passed the globe in March 2020.

However, this year’s comet will come closer – which astronomers say “compensates” for its small size. But close is still very far away. The distance will be approximately 42 million kilometers from Earth.

For those who live in the Northern hemisphere, the best time to gaze at the comet may coincide with the new moon on January 21-22. The comet will be closest to Earth on February 1. If the sky is clear, it will be visible with binoculars or the naked eye. But it can be harder to see if it’s a full moon.

Facts

The Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF or the iceball tail is expected to stretch 2.5 degrees wide FOV. It is reported to be the closest to the Sun on 12h January 2023. The tail will vary as per the solar winds on the ion glow.