The green comet E3 ZTF has grown an anti-tail
(Graziano Ventre https://bit.ly/3WxOGLV)
The comet E3 ZTF, which is expected to be the brightest comet of the year, has acquired an anti-tail.
From the point of view of an earthly observer, the anti-tail looks in the opposite direction relative to its other two tails.
The picture of the comet with its anti-tail was taken by Italian astronomer Graziano Ventre and other amateur astronomers.
The anti-tail of comets, from the point of view of an observer from the Earth, is extended towards the Sun
This is in contrast to the ordinary tails, which are directed away from our star.
However, this is actually an optical illusion: the anti-tail consists of relatively large dust particles.
Those particles are not so strongly affected by the pressure of solar radiation, so they move in the comet's orbit ahead of its nucleus.
The comet E3 ZTF was discovered by astronomers at the Zwicky Transient Facility in March 2022.
In mid-January 2023, it passed perihelion, the point of its orbit closest to the Sun, and on February 1, it will pass at a minimum distance from the Earth - 0.28 astronomical units.
By this point, it will probably be visible to the naked eye with a beautiful green color.
Another interesting piece of information about this comet is its orbit: the last time it was close to Earth was around 50,000 years ago, when Neanderthals still habited our planet.
What species would live on Earth the next time E3 ZTF passes?
Sources:
- SpaceWeather.com: https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=191850
- ScienceAlert: https://www.sciencealert.com/a-rare-green-comet-can-be-seen-in-the-sky-and-it-may-be-our-last-chance
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