Comet C/2022 E3 Will be Visible From The Canary Islands First Days of February

Canary Islands

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In the next few days, again, we will have to look up. The Earth will receive a visit from Comet C/2022 E3 , which will be visible from Lanzarote and other parts of the world with the naked eye between February 1st and 2nd .

Currently, it is located between the constellations of Corona Borealis, Hercules and the star Arthur, and it is possible to see it at dawn.

In the first days of next month when it is closest to Earth, next to the Polar Star: "That is why it will be possible to see it with the naked eye if we access dark areas, without light pollution," explains Muler.

Over 2,000 year period

This comet receives the name C/2022 E3, first of all, due to its period. "The C corresponds to the fact that it has a long period, of more than 2,000 years . If it were short, it would have a P", the astronomer details.

For its part, 2022 corresponds to the year of discovery (specifically, it was seen for the first time on March 3rd, 2022 through the ZTF celestial object detection system) and E, to its month: "The letter A reflects the first half of January, B the second, C the first of February... And so on".

The term comet comes from the Greek, meaning "hair" and represents the remains of the formation of the solar system .

"There are currently more than 70 comets in the sky"

However, although the majority of the population is only able to see them from time to time, Muler remarks that "there are currently about 70 different comets in the sky."

"They are there all the time, but those that are visible to the "naked eye" (without binoculars or other viewing elements) pass every two years on average, although this is not a constant , "concludes the astronomer.

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