How to find the green comet in the night sky
It's faintly visible with the naked eye
Every now and then we are treated by something special in the night sky, whether it is shooting stars or rocket launches, but this time, for the first time in nearly three years, we are being treated to a new comet, nicknamed the green comet!
According to NASA, the comet is faintly visible with the naked eye, and will get brighter. So, as long as the weather is good, you have a high chance of being able to see it, and here's how...
Where in the sky is the comet?
The green comet is fairly easy to find in the night sky, if you can identify The Plough (also called The Big Dipper or Great Bear), and the North Star (Polaris).
As shown in the tweet below, the comet will gradually appear to move between the constellations of The Big Dipper and The Little Dipper, so if you can identify where North is, then you should have a strong chance of seeing the comet.
Look for a fuzzy green object, and that will be the comet!
When viewing the comet it's best to let your eye adjust to the dark for at least 30 minutes to get the best view.
What is new comet called?
The comet has been nicknamed the green comet, but its technical name is C/2022 E3, referring to when it was discovered. It was discovered in 2022, and was the third comet to be discovered in the fifth (E) fortnight of the year.
Why is it called the green comet?
It has been nicknamed the green comet because of its colour. The comet has an unusual gorgeous green colour to its tail, which is visible with the naked eye.
Do I need a telescope to see the comet?
At the moment, you will need a telescope or binoculars to see the comet clearly, however it is very faintly visible with the naked eye. The comet will be at its closest point to Earth on 1st February, so it should be at its brightest then.
When will the comet next be visible?
This comet has a very large orbit which takes it a very long way away from the Earth. Because of this it won't return to our area of the solar system for 50,000 years. You're best having a look while it's near us!
What is a comet?
A comet is a lump of dust and ice which orbits the Sun. They formed when the Solar System did 4.6 billion years ago. As comets gets closer to the Sun they begin to melt, producing the amazing tails that they are known for.
Now take a look through our tips on how to view shooting stars:
1. Dark sky
You might not realise how much light pollution there is in your neighbourhood, find out more about light pollution and where you can find a really dark sky here.
Allow your eyes 15 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Don't forget that the moon can also interfere so try to avoid times when it is visible.
2. Date and time
To increase your chances of seeing some meteors make sure you find out the best time to look for them. Often it is when the sky is at its darkest (in the middle of the night), or if there is a meteor shower, when the radiant (where the meteors come from - the constellation Leo) is high in the sky.
3. Look in the right area
It sounds obvious, but the sky is a very large area and meteors are very fast! Make sure you know which area of the sky you should be looking in. The Leonids come from Leo, the easiest way to find it would be to use a free sky map app on your phone. We've also included a video at the bottom of this page to help you find it.
4. Good weather
Again, it seems obvious, but there's no point in standing in the cold when it's cloudy. Check the weather forecast before going outside, and if it's going to be clear later on then wait until then if you can.
5. Don't use a telescope or binoculars
Using a telescope or binoculars will DECREASE your chances of seeing a meteor. Meteors are so quick that you are likely to miss them if you don't use the naked eye. Save your telescope or binoculars for the moon or planets.
Now read:
10 things you probably didn't know about shooting stars
Food and drink that bring back memories from school
40 baby names predicted to become popular over the next 10 years