A green comet is set to be seen from our skies tonight (February 1), with it set to shine brightest during this week after being only visible last month thorough telescope.
Tonight is set to be one of the clearest nights - good news for stargazers hoping to catch a glimpse in the Glasgow skies.
The technical name for the 'Green Comet', according to the Mirror, is C/2022 E3 (ZTF), with the meteor set to reach the closest point to Earth today. Although it's currently around 28 million miles away, it will be seen in both northern and southern hemispheres. It was discovered just under a year ago on March 2, 2022 by Zwicky Transient Facility in California, US.
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Astronomers shockingly worked out the the last time it was seen from Earth was during the Stone Age and is thought to have emerged from outside our solar system in the 'Oort Cloud'.
This cloud is described by NASA as a "collection of icy objects farther away than everything else in the solar system." It is so far away that no space vehicle has ever been able to reach it.
How to see the comet from Glasgow
It is expected to be at its brightest between tonight and tomorrow, and is likely to be visible to the naked eye.
To get the best view, the comet should be watched using 'averted vision', which involves looking to the side by around 20 degrees giving the most sensitive parts of your eyes a better chance of viewing it.
The Royal Observatory at Greenwich recommends checking moon rise times in your location to avoid the glow ruining the spectacle.
Other suggestions include using an astronomy apps, for example, Celestron's SkyPortal. This provides descriptions of various objects star and comets as well as sky coordinates and maps which operate in real time.
It is also a good idea to check out the latest weather reports and keep an eye out for any unexpected weather events. Only last night, Glasgow residents were suddenly awoken after hearing and seeing the "loudest" and "brightest" thunder and lightning.
To see the comet, a spot should be found which is far away from way light pollution which affects towns and cities.
Jake Foster, a Royal Observatory astronomer said: “The comet is in the north of our skies, currently close to Polaris, the pole star directly due north.
“The comet is best viewed after midnight, when it reaches its highest point in the sky.
"It will move a significant distance across the sky from night to night as it makes its way towards the constellation of Taurus over the coming weeks.”
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