Astrophotographers and even ordinary photographers have a chance to see a comet currently appearing in the sky early in the morning, before our dawn. I’m talking about Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF, which is rapidly approaching our closest encounter with our sun. It hasn’t been in our solar system for about 50,000 years. It has a striking green color and not all comets are like that, so it has created quite a stir among astrophysicists.
It could be the first visible comet since Neowise, appearing in our night sky in the summer of 2020.
Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF was discovered last March by the Schmidt f/2.4 telescope at Mt. Palomar. It was very dim then, but as it got closer to the sun it got brighter.
Where is the C/2022 E3 ZTF?
Over the next few weeks, observers in the Northern Hemisphere could spot it in the Northeast skies. The BBC website there is some good information about finding comets.
Look for comets above the northeast horizon after midnight between the constellations Hercules and Bootes.
In the third week of January, the comet will become polar to viewers at mid-north latitudes. The comet will then be visible after sunset and throughout the night to viewers in the Northern Hemisphere. On January 29, it will pass near Polaris, the North Star. If it lights up to say, 5th magnitude, then naked observers away from city lights should be able to see it.
By February, the Moon will become brighter making observations difficult. Here is a chart from NASA that will help you locate the comet.
If you want to shoot it, you can probably do it with a medium to long lens (80-200mm) since the subject is small. Don’t expect a dramatic tail on the comet, but that could change. You’re basically looking for a smudge.
Shooting comet
If you’re going to see a comet in the Northern Hemisphere, try it around the 25th of this month, after 10pm. The moon will not interfere on that day. Using the chart below, point your DSLR or mirrorless camera at the display area that matches the date. You’ll want at least ISO 400 or higher, but you’ll get more noise as the ISO goes up. Of course, a tripod will be required. About 15 seconds, which is the maximum exposure to avoid star trails, unless you have a tracking stand.
According to some reports, it is approaching Intensity 7, which is not an object to the naked eye, but is visible on longer exposures.
I tested the comet on January 13 from Arizona. Sadly, there are a lot of high clouds.
I wasn’t overly impressed with what I got by stacking 10 30-second exposures on a tracking mount. There is only a slight hint of a tail, but I expect the comet to become brighter with more tails as the months go by.
The comet is a bit unpredictable, so it can be a lot brighter or dimmer. However, comets to the naked eye are rare, and this comet won’t return for another 50,000 years, so the next few weeks are your only chance.
If you got some worthwhile photos of our space visitor, feel free to post it in the comments. Good hunting.
