C/2022 E3 (ZTF)

C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is a long-period comet from the Oort cloud that was discovered by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) on March 2, 2022. The comet has a bright green glow around its nucleus, due to the effect of sunlight on diatomic carbon and cyanogen. It’s closest approach to Earth was on February 1, 2023, at a distance of 0.28 AU (42 million km; 26 million mi).

#astrophotography #astronomy #space #unistellar #comet #c2022e3 #ztf

Open Cluster NGC 1647 in Taurus and Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)

I know I am kind of late to the party. But in my defense: When I checked where the comet was in the sky when I first heard about it, it was in the north, and my house was blocking the view. I didn't realize that it will be coming around to the south where I can image it.

Blog: https://smilingj.net/blog/2023/02/2023-02-13_c-2022-e3.html

#astrophotography #ngc1647 #c2022e3 #c2022e3ztf #heq5pro #130pds #asi294mcpro

Here is a gorgeous composite image of the departing comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) along with planet Mars taken two nights ago.

The broad white dust tail and the long narrow blue ion tail are clearly visible. The coma shines brightly in green color at 518 nm wavelength, emitted by C2 (dicarbon) atoms.

In the foreground is the Matterhorn, a mountain in the Italian Alps with a picturesque peak.

Image Credit & Copyright: Donato Lioce
Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230213.html
#comet #APOD #C2022E3
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