Historic event: The green comet will be visible in Earth's sky this week for the first time in 50,000 years

Weather of Arabia - In an opportunity that has not occurred previously in the lives of all current generations, we will be able to see the rare green comet that will pass its closest distance to Earth, in early February, and it will be possible to see it with the naked eye as it will appear as a faint green light in the sky, while the vision will be clearer using telescopes It will be possible to clearly see its tail.

Scientists indicate that on the first of February, if the sky is clear and dark enough, it will be possible to see the green comet C / 2022 E3 with the naked eye, in regions of the northern hemisphere, in the form of a faint green glow with a tail, while the comet gradually moves through This month towards the northwest. As for the southern hemisphere, it will be visible next month, according to NASA's assurances.

See also: The most beautiful scenes of the green comet, which visited Earth for the first time in 50,000 years ... and the reason for its appearance with three tails

Discovered last March by astronomers at the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory in California, Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) orbits the Sun every 50,000 years, meaning it last passed our planet during the Stone Age.

Since mid-January this year, it has become easy to see the comet in the northern hemisphere using a telescope or binoculars, while the best time to observe it will be on February 1 and 2, as the comet will approach Earth on Wednesday and Thursday to pass at a distance of 43 million kilometers (2.5 minutes). photoluminescence) only from Earth.

Then, by mid-February, the comet will have fainted again, out of sight, as it hurtles back into the solar system on its return trip to the Oort Cloud.

It is reported that comets are balls of dust and ice that revolve around the sun in giant elliptical orbits, and when they approach the sun, their surface temperature rises and the surface ice turns into gas mixed with dust flying from its surface. This creates a cloud or halo surrounding the solid nucleus of the comet with an accompanying tail. .

Comets are not precisely predictable and can often change their trajectory.

Why does the comet appear green?

The green color of the comet C / 2022 E3 results from the presence of diatomic carbon (pairs of carbon atoms bonded to each other). When the comet passes close to the sun, its ice skips the usual liquid phase and turns into a gas. The molecule emits green light when excited by ultraviolet radiation in radiation. the solar system, and a ghastly halo appears around it, glowing green.

Green comets have already been seen in our sky. In December 2021, the bright green comet "Leonard" was seen during a rare approach to Earth. In January 2018, another green comet was seen, sparking debate on social media about what it is.

For more: In a historic event: Comet Leonard passes through Earth's sky for the first time in 70,000 years

How to watch the green comet live stream

You can watch a live broadcast of the comet's journey as it approaches Earth through this video:

Watch also: Comet "NEWise" appears in a dazzling snapshot with the aurora borealis and the optical phenomenon of Steve