You may have heard of the so-called “Green Comet” passing close to Earth these days. Its scientific name is C/2022 E3 (ZTF), and it will be so striking that we can see it with the naked eye in the night sky. The last time it “grazed” our planet was 50,000 years ago, when Neanderthals were the predominant human species. It has rained since.
If you want to take advantage of this unique opportunity to see a greenish-toned comet in our sky, you need to be clear about two things: the first is that you will have to get up early, because the best time to see it is before dawn. The second is that you will have to locate the quadrant in which it will appear, but that This is something we can easily do with the iPhone.
Download, accept and aim
The trick is to download the Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF app, available for free on the App Store. Once you have it, all you have to do is press the first button that appears:
The application will ask you for permission to know your position (essential for its proper functioning) and it will show you a map of the firmament with all the constellations adapted to your position. Point the iPhone towards the sky and turn it around until you find the red comet symbol:
Visibility is best from the northern hemisphere, it seems, though that doesn’t mean it won’t be possible to locate it from the southern hemisphere.
From here being able to see it is more up to you and the weather conditions at the time. The maximum point of visibility is tonight and the next (February 2), so set a reminder on your devices if you don’t want to miss it. I don’t think we’ll be there when you next visit in 50,000 years.
Picture | Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3), Guillermo Ferla
