A rare green comet, last seen around 50,000 years ago, is due to make its closest pass by Earth. Called C/2022 E3 (ZTF), this celestial object hails from the Oort cloud at the outermost edge of the Solar System.
It will come closest to Earth on February 1, within about 45 million kilometres. The icy ball orbits the sun once every 50,000 years, which means the last time it went past the planet was during Stone Age – when Neanderthals roamed the Earth.
Dr Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told the PA news agency: “Long-period comet C/2022 E3 is currently speeding through the solar system and won’t return for at least 50,000 years, assuming it ever does, so it’s your once-in-a-lifetime chance to see it. Its path across our sky is taking it through the constellation of Draco the dragon and will be passing between the two bears, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, in late January and into early February.”
