Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).
Neanderthal Comet, a newly discovered comet, could be visible to the naked eye under dark skies, as it approaches Earth on February 1 and 2, according to American space agency NASA.
Here are five points on the comet:
- The comet is bright green in colour and will pass by Earth's orbit for the first time in 50,000 years, and it may stay for a month, according to the BBC. C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was last visible when Neanderthals were still roaming the planet and hence it has been named after them.
- It was discovered on March 3, 2022 while it was in Jupiter's orbit nearly 400 million miles from the sun, as per space agency NASA.
- Observers in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to spot the comet in the morning sky as it moves northwest during January. It will become visible for observers in the Southern Hemisphere in early February 2023, as per the American space agency.
- NASA says that it will be closest to Earth on February 2, at a distance of 26.4 million miles (42.5 million kilometres).
- Even if it does not become bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, it can be seen with binoculars and small telescopes during January and the first few days of February.
