Comet ZTF C/2022 E3

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Coming in Our Cosmos

A new comet named Comet ZTF C/2022 E3 has been spotted in our cosmos which will be visible in the month of Feb 2023 in the sky, probably with the binoculars help. It will be greenish in color.

It is believed and understood by the scientists that it is visiting our neighborhood space after about 50,000 years.

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Views of Scientists

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Scientists are interested in comets because they are relics of the early Solar System and can provide information about the environment and make-up of that system.

A comet's nucleus is surrounded by a bright coma because of the heat created when the ices inside it melt as it approaches the Sun.
A bright tail is always pointing away from the Sun due to the gas and dust in the coma.

A momentous occasion will soon be seen by all of Earth.

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Comet ZTF Background

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Comet ZTF was first detected by Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) in California, USA and was believed to be Asteroid (within our solar system). But it was further identified by a Tokyo Astronomer as having the characteristics of a Comet which was also ratified by the Italian Scientist.

Comet ZTF C/2022 E3 is an incredibly rare comet that last came to Earth when people were still living in caves, will be paying us a visit.

Since the comet has a period of about 50,000 years, its most recent close approach to Earth occurred during the Upper Paleolithic era, when Neanderthals were living. However, we don't know if they would have been particularly aware of the comet at the time.

A stunning image of the Comet ZTF crossing the orbital plane is featured as NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day.

Since it will soon make its closest approach to the planet, the comet has been glowing brighter lately.

Dan Bartlett took the photo at June Lake in California while standing in a place with a dark sky.

The comet ZTF C/2022 E3 ZTF was captured in this telescopic image from a dark sky location at June Lake, California, according to NASA.

Naturally, Comet ZTF has been getting brighter lately and will be the closest to Earth in February 2023.

As Comet ZTF travels along its orbit, its broad, whitish dust tail is still bent and fanning out away from the Sun.

However, due to perspective near the orbital plane crossing, parts of the fanned-out dust tail appear on both sides of the comet's green-tinted coma, giving Comet ZTF a visually arresting anti-tail.

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Cosmos Background

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Just to understand the larger universe perspective, the universes is considered 14 billion years old.

The solar system was evolved with the collision of a giant gas and dust planetary blocks about 4 billion years ago which resulted into the solar system and the creation of the Earth.

The life of some form came with early animals and later in the form of homo sapiens around 3.7 billion years ago. (As per the scientific research, however, religious beliefs may be different).

The age of dinosaurs is considered about 65 million years ago.

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Star, Planet, Comet, Asteroid and Meteorite

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Star is a huge planetary object far away in the skies and outside our solar system.

Planet is usually referred to the 8 planets (excluding Pluto) within our solar system (though there may be more in the outer universe).

Comet is also a big rock object outside the solar system.

Asteroid is the big object within our solar system.

Meteorite name is used when some comet or asteroid enters the Earth space, and with its gravitational pulls falls on it.

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The history of meteorites

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The earliest known history of meteorites is about 50,000 years ago. The 50 feet wide meteorite hit the Arizona in the USA with 4000 feet wide and 600 feet deep hole. It is now called Meteor crater. It has become a tourist site in the USA.

Another meteorite hit in 1908 flattening the Siberian Forest of about 820 miles sq ft area.

Another one hit in Russia in around 2012 but with less damage breaking the apartments windows.

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Work of NASA

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NASA and its associated bodies are continuously working and monitoring our outer universe spaces for such unforeseen future happenings.

The critical aspect of any moving object in the space is to determine its orbital wavelength, direction, and speed. So that it can be mathematically calculated for any significance impact for the Earth.

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Summing up

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Indeed, we all humans are sleeping peacefully, but NASA is guarding the Earth with any potential future dangers from the outer universe. A great feat and task.

Comet ZTF C/2022 E3 is a reality by the Scientists, and it may also hold many other unknown realities which may not have been uncovered as of now.

It is interesting to know and note that the study of astronomy is not only interesting, but it opens the mind to the larger contextual view of the whole universe, and to come to know that Earth is just such a small object of the huge whole.

You may also check out NASA site.