By now you’ve probably heard the buzz about a green comet, but the question is: can you see it? That all depends on a few things.
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is the actual name of the object that’s being talked about, and to see it, here are a few questions.
First: Do you have a clear view of the northern sky? Face north and look halfway up. If you have a clear view, you should be in good shape.
The second question is: Do you have dark skies? Chances are that if you live in Sheboygan, Sheboygan Falls or Plymouth, or even close by to the south, the sky won’t be dark enough to see the comet because of light pollution. Even if you do get to the countryside, the Moon will make the sky brighter, but if skies are clear it should be visible.
Finally: Do you have binoculars? Many think a telescope is needed, but binoculars with the numbers 7X35 or larger are better because they give the brighter and wider view you’ll need.
You might need a finder chart; you can get that online – I use the website heavens-above.com.
If you have all that together you might be able to see the dim, round fuzzball tonight at, say, 8 p.m., although you can see it most of the night long. You won’t see a tail and it won’t look green because it’s too dim. And don’t forget a coat – because although tonight (Tuesday) might be the best night for clear skies, the wind chill will be below zero. Good luck!
Kevin Zimmermann is a former member and president of the Sheboygan Astronomical Society
