APOD: Naked-eye Comet ZTF (2023 Jan 21)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
User avatar
APOD Robot
Otto Posterman
Posts: 5570
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:27 am

APOD: Naked-eye Comet ZTF (2023 Jan 21)

Post by APOD Robot » Sat Jan 21, 2023 5:06 am

Image Naked-eye Comet ZTF

Explanation: Comet C/2022E3 (ZTF) is no longer too dim to require a telescope for viewing. By January 19, it could just be seen with the naked eye in this rural sky with little light pollution from a location about 20 kilometers from Salamanca, Spain. Still, telescopic images are needed to show any hint of the comet's pretty green coma, stubby whitish dust tail, and long ion tail. Its faint ion tail has been buffeted by recent solar activity. This visitor from the distant Oort cloud rounded the Sun on January 12. and is now sweeping through stars near the northern boundary of the constellation Bootes. Outward bound but still growing brighter, Comet ZTF makes its closest approach on February 2, coming to within about 2.4 light-minutes of our fair planet.

<< Previous APOD This Day in APOD Next APOD >>

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: Naked-eye Comet ZTF (2023 Jan 21)

Post by orin stepanek » Sat Jan 21, 2023 2:09 pm

ZTF_salamanca.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

User avatar
MarkBour
Subtle Signal
Posts: 1377
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:44 pm
Location: Illinois, USA

Re: APOD: Naked-eye Comet ZTF (2023 Jan 21)

Post by MarkBour » Sat Jan 21, 2023 6:10 pm

Nice image. I appreciate the version on the left that shows a realistic depiction of actual naked-eye visibility.

(Also, a great advertisement for https://www.startrails.es/.)
Mark Goldfain

User avatar
johnnydeep
Commodore
Posts: 3196
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:57 pm

Re: APOD: Naked-eye Comet ZTF (2023 Jan 21)

Post by johnnydeep » Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:40 pm

APOD Robot wrote: Sat Jan 21, 2023 5:06 am Image Naked-eye Comet ZTF

Explanation: Comet C/2022E3 (ZTF) is no longer too dim to require a telescope for viewing. By January 19, it could just be seen with the naked eye in this rural sky with little light pollution from a location about 20 kilometers from Salamanca, Spain. Still, telescopic images are needed to show any hint of the comet's pretty green coma, stubby whitish dust tail, and long ion tail. Its faint ion tail has been buffeted by recent solar activity. This visitor from the distant Oort cloud rounded the Sun on January 12. and is now sweeping through stars near the northern boundary of the constellation Bootes. Outward bound but still growing brighter, Comet ZTF makes its closest approach on February 2, coming to within about 2.4 light-minutes of our fair planet.
Or maybe "Oortward bound!"
--
"To B̬̻̋̚o̞̮̚̚l̘̲̀᷾d̫͓᷅ͩḷ̯᷁ͮȳ͙᷊͠ Go......Beyond The F͇̤i̙̖e̤̟l̡͓d͈̹s̙͚ We Know."{ʲₒʰₙNYᵈₑᵉₚ}

User avatar
Chris Peterson
Abominable Snowman
Posts: 18573
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA

Re: APOD: Naked-eye Comet ZTF (2023 Jan 21)

Post by Chris Peterson » Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:13 pm

MarkBour wrote: Sat Jan 21, 2023 6:10 pm Nice image. I appreciate the version on the left that shows a realistic depiction of actual naked-eye visibility.

(Also, a great advertisement for https://www.startrails.es/.)
The image on the left is nowhere near a depiction of naked-eye visibility. It offers a sense of scale, and that's all. To the eye, this looks like a faint star, with maybe just a hint of fuzziness about it. No color, no tail.
Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com

User avatar
alter-ego
Serendipitous Sleuthhound
Posts: 1123
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:51 am
Location: Redmond, WA

Re: APOD: Naked-eye Comet ZTF (2023 Jan 21)

Post by alter-ego » Sun Jan 22, 2023 1:35 am

Chris Peterson wrote: Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:13 pm
MarkBour wrote: Sat Jan 21, 2023 6:10 pm Nice image. I appreciate the version on the left that shows a realistic depiction of actual naked-eye visibility.

(Also, a great advertisement for https://www.startrails.es/.)
The image on the left is nowhere near a depiction of naked-eye visibility. It offers a sense of scale, and that's all. To the eye, this looks like a faint star, with maybe just a hint of fuzziness about it. No color, no tail.
Nowhere near, for sure. The faintest stars visible in the image (< 2°from the comet) are ~12th magnitude.
A pessimist is nothing more than an experienced optimist

User avatar
MarkBour
Subtle Signal
Posts: 1377
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:44 pm
Location: Illinois, USA

Re: APOD: Naked-eye Comet ZTF (2023 Jan 21)

Post by MarkBour » Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:42 pm

Chris Peterson wrote: Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:13 pm
MarkBour wrote: Sat Jan 21, 2023 6:10 pm Nice image. I appreciate the version on the left that shows a realistic depiction of actual naked-eye visibility.

(Also, a great advertisement for https://www.startrails.es/.)
The image on the left is nowhere near a depiction of naked-eye visibility. It offers a sense of scale, and that's all. To the eye, this looks like a faint star, with maybe just a hint of fuzziness about it. No color, no tail.
alter-ego wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 1:35 am Nowhere near, for sure. The faintest stars visible in the image (< 2°from the comet) are ~12th magnitude.
Drat. Well, thanks to both of you for the correction! I have been rather disappointed over the years with going out and looking for a comet and expecting to see more than I can. Still, hope springs eternal, and I'm waiting for the next NEOWISE, one of the very few comets that was lots of fun to go out and observe in person, with my very limited skills and equipment.
Mark Goldfain