C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
Comet
C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is a long-period comet from the Oort cloud that was discovered by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) on 2 March 2022. The comet has a bright green glow around its nucleus, due to the effect of sunlight on diatomic carbon and cyanogen. The comet's systematic designation starts with C to indicate that it is not a periodic comet, and "2022 E3" means that it was the third comet to be discovered in the first half of March 2022.
The comet nucleus was estimated to be about a kilometer in size, rotating every 8.5 to 8.7 hours. Its tails of dust and gas extended for millions of kilometers and, during January 2023, an anti-tail was also visible.
The comet reached its perihelion on 12 January 2023, at a distance of 1.11 AU (166 million km; 103 million mi), and the closest approach to Earth was on 1 February 2023, at a distance of 0.28 AU (42 million km; 26 million mi). The comet reached magnitude 5 and was visible with the naked eye under moonless dark skies.
The comet nucleus was estimated to be about a kilometer in size, rotating every 8.5 to 8.7 hours. Its tails of dust and gas extended for millions of kilometers and, during January 2023, an anti-tail was also visible.
The comet reached its perihelion on 12 January 2023, at a distance of 1.11 AU (166 million km; 103 million mi), and the closest approach to Earth was on 1 February 2023, at a distance of 0.28 AU (42 million km; 26 million mi). The comet reached magnitude 5 and was visible with the naked eye under moonless dark skies.
Image Details
| Date |
February 8, 2023 |
| LOCATion |
Hannover (Germany) |
| Sky Quality |
Bortle 5 |
| Telescope |
Celestron RASA 8 (203/400 f/2) |
| Mount |
Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro |
| Main Camera |
ZWO ASI 2600 MC Pro Gain 100, Offset 18, -10 |
| Focuser |
Celestron Motorfocus |
| Filter | |
no filter |
|
| Exposure | |
268 x 30'' (2h 14') |
|
| Guiding | |
ZWO ASI 120MM, PHD2 |
|
| Calibration | |
Flats, Darks, Darkflats |
|
| Software | |
N.I.N.A., EQMod |
|
| Other | |
ZWO ASI 2600 MC Pro Gain 100, Offset 18, -10 |
|
| Processing | |
Astropixelprocessor, Photoshop, Pixinsight |
Gallery
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NGC 6914
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IC 447
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Interstellar Shells
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Orion Nebula
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Regulus & Dwarf Galaxy
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Sh2-140
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Sh2-187
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NGC 2403
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NGC 654
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Coathanger, Loch Ness a.o.
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Ghost of Cassiopeia
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Bode's Galaxy
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Butterfly Nebula (IC 1318)
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NGC 3184
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M 38 in HaRGB
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Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
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NGC 7822
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Pinwheel Galaxy
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Cone Nebula
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Aurora
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NGC 4151 & 4145
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Cave Nebula
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NGC 4725, 4747 & 4712
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The Crescent Nebula
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Lion Nebula
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M 13
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Horsehead Nebula (SHO)
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M 35 & NGC 2158
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Sh2-134 Widefield
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NGC 5033 & Friends
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Clamshell Nebula
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The Dark Mermaid
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Loch Ness Nebula
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Heart & Soul Nebula
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Iris Nebula
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Elephant's Trunk Nebula
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NGC 3718
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Flaming Star Nebula
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IC 410
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Andromeda Galaxy
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Leo Triplet
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Jellyfish Nebula
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M 3
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h and χ Persei (HaRGB)
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VDB 14 & 15
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Northamerica Nebula
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M 106
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Sh2-120 & NGC 7031
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NGC 188
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Tulip Nebula
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Markarian's Chain
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Wizard Nebula
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Bubble & Lobster Claw Nebula
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Copernicus
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Mare Imbrium
