Rare comet not seen for 50,000 years will be visible from Lexington soon. When to look
A newly discovered comet is soaring across the sky and will be closest to Earth Thursday, Feb. 2.
Although astronomers just documented the comet last March, the last time it got this close to Earth was during the Ice Age, according to NASA Jet Propulsion Labs.
While there is no guarantee the comet, C/2022 E3 (ZTF), will be visible without equipment, those who bring binoculars out to a dark area may be able to see it.
“The brightening of comets can be difficult to predict, but even if C/2022 E3 (ZTF) doesn’t brighten enough to become visible with the naked eye, it will still be observable during January and early February with binoculars and small telescopes,” Space.com says.
Depending on the weather, Saturday might be a good time to see the comet, as the moon will be in the new phase.
As of Friday morning, AccuWeather forecast “considerable clouds” with occasional rain and drizzle in Lexington. The low is forecast at 33 degrees Fahrenheit.
If Saturday turns out cloudy, you’ll still have a chance to see the comet later on as its orbit will bring it closest to Earth in early February.
What is a comet?
Comets are “cosmic snowballs” made from frozen gasses, rock and dust orbiting the sun, NASA says. They can be the size of a small town when frozen, and heat up and spew gasses and dust when they get close to the sun.
“There are likely billions of comets orbiting our Sun in the Kuiper Belt and even more distant Oort Cloud,” NASA’s website says.
The current number of known comets is 3,743, according to NASA.
Stargazing tips, local events
If you’re looking for a good place to stargaze with low light pollution, NASA offers these tips:
Head at least 20 to 30 miles from urban areas
Try to find a space on the side of a large wilderness area or body of water
Look for higher altitude locations
Go to an area with open views, such as a lake shore or meadow, so trees don’t interfere with your line of sight
Make sure to avoid trespassing
The Bluegrass Amatuer Astronomy Club holds monthly stargazing gatherings from March to October at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary. There may be a $1 charge for members of the public.
Here are the 2023 Raven Run stargazing dates:
March 18
April 22
May 20
June 17
July 15
Aug. 12
Sept. 16
Oct. 14
The events begin around sunset and last two to three hours. Cloudy weather may lead to cancellations. If the weather is partly cloudy on the day of the event, the Bluegrass Amatuer Astronomy Club recommends calling the park at 859-272-6105 around 6:30 p.m. to see whether the gathering is still planned.
The University of Kentucky hosts SkyTalk events each month, and past topics have included ancient observatories, possible signs of alien life and the Milky Way.
For more astronomy events near you, check out NASA’s Night Sky Network.
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This story was originally published January 20, 2023 at 12:08 PM.
