                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2023 January 21

                             Naked-eye Comet ZTF
         Image Credit & Copyright: Óscar Martín Mesonero (Organización
                 Salmantina de la Astronáutica y el Espacio)

   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.

                    Tomorrow's picture: in green company
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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