Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will pass close to Earth on February 1, 2023. This rare comet that appeared during the Ice Age can be seen from Indonesia.
ZTF orbits the Sun every 50 thousand years. The comet will be visible to the naked eye in mid to late January 2023 and will peak on February 1, 2023.
Researcher from the Aeronautics and Space Research Organization (ORPA) of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Andi Prince said that this comet is expected to pass near Earth on February 2 at 00.32 WIB/01.32 WITA/02.32 WIT at a distance of 42,472,000 km from Earth.
"When passing near Earth, this comet can be seen throughout Indonesia from February 1 at 18.30 to February 2 at 02.30 local time (according to each time zone) from the north near the constellation Camelopardalis," he detailed as quoted from the Science and Education Education page. Space, Wednesday (1/2/2023).
For DKI Jakarta and its surroundings, continued Andi, this comet reached its highest point at 21.53 WIB with an altitude of 11.9 degrees. When it reaches the closest point, this comet is visible in the north direction with an altitude of 7.4 degrees for DKI Jakarta and its surroundings. For Eastern Indonesia, the comet will set when it reaches its closest point to Earth.
"This comet only passes once in its lifetime due to its hyperbolic orbit. A hyperbolic orbit is an orbit that has an eccentricity value greater than one, so that it forms an open curve at both foci. Compare this to a parabolic orbit whose ellipse is exactly one or elliptical orbit whose elongation is between 0 and 1," he explained.
To be able to observe Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), it's enough to find a place free from light pollution, a field of view free from obstructions when observing comets, and of course the weather conditions where you are are quite sunny, not cloudy overcast.
"You can also capture this comet using a DSLR camera, CCD camera attached to a telescope and connected to a laptop or computer, because the opportunity to observe this comet is only once in a lifetime! So don't miss this moment," suggested Andi.