Welcome to the new NPR series. Spotlight the people and things that make headlines and the stories behind them.
One night only! Meet C/2022 E3 (her friends call her Green Comet for short).
who is she? A celestial event of unprecedented potential. Instead, you can trade the typical evening blue light for a green light.
This is my first attempt to capture the “green comet”, Comet c/2022 E3 (ZTF). This was especially difficult due to the high humidity and clouds, but I am thrilled to have captured it. pic.twitter.com/t2VGEnfKX8
— Andrew McCarthy (@AJamesMcCarthy) January 19, 2023
what’s the big deal? Little is known about C/2022 E3, but its long orbit appears to be far from the outer extent of the Solar System. Then, according to The Planetary Society, it’s headed for the Sun.
what are people saying?
“If C/2022 E3 has ever passed through our solar system, it was last seen in the sky more than 10,000 years ago.”
— Jon Giorgini, Senior Analyst at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: told NPR
“If you look south of the Big Dipper, near Caropardaris, you can find the comet. If you can find the North Star, you can follow it just south of the Big Dipper.”
— Bryce Bolin, one of the astronomers who discovered comets, said to washington post
What should I do then? The best bet to see the comet was between Wednesday and Thursday, February 1-2. The glow was supposed to be most visible against the night sky, but that could vary depending on how cloudy your area is.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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