How to photograph comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), which will pass by Earth this month?

2023 is a good start for astronomy lovers. From January, the first pass of comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will be visible in 50,000 years, taking us back to the Paleolithic era when Neanderthals were still found in Europe. . With a little luck, it will even be visible to the naked eye.

Discovered in March 2022 as part of the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) research program with the Samuel-Oshin Telescope at Palomar Observatory, California, the comet is currently moving through our solar system and is expected to make its closest approach to our star. , or perihelion, on January 12, 2023. It will pass closest to the Earth on February 1st, i.e. perigee. Then it will still be more than 42 million kilometers away.

Nicolas Biver, an astronomer at the Paris Observatory, said this Le Figaro : “Comet is 10,000 times brighter today than when it was discovered”. Therefore, although nothing is certain due to the highly unpredictable behavior of comets, if it continues to burn, we can hope to see it with the naked eye. Moreover, even if it can be observed, it still needs to be located. Because in our eyes it will appear as just one star among many stars. Rest assured, we will explain how to best enjoy the show.

People living in the Paris area will have to look to Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the constellation of Giraffe, or even Coachman, depending on the date of observation, to spot comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF). The ideal time to try to find the ice ball is late January (around the 27th) and mid-February. The popular hobbyist site Stelvision has produced some very useful maps depicting the comet’s trajectory.

Otherwise, you can also use our favorite smartphone sky map: SkySafari, available on Android and iOS. Thanks to your smartphone’s sensors, the app can work in “compass” mode and name the stars you point it to, given your location. In general, it also combines ephemeral events, such as the passage of comets. By searching for C/2022 E3 (ZTF) in the software, it will be able to tell you its exact location and guide you with arrows to find it. This, in our opinion, is the simplest option.

SkySafari

With Skysafari, discover the mysteries of the sky above, watch comets, watch the International Space Station or the Hubble telescope pass by, learn about different planets and stars, and more!

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The most interesting thing about these icy bodies is to think about the trails they leave behind as they evaporate close to the Sun, which requires minimal equipment and knowledge. Once you have roughly located the comet, you can observe it with a telescope or binoculars. But if you don’t have one, or if you want to immortalize what’s in front of you, we invite you to take a camera (with a good zoom, if possible).

Place the device on a tripod, it is an absolutely necessary accessory. If you don’t have one, we recommend the following models. Even if the Amazon tripod is not the best on the market, it will allow you to get a significant amount of stability for less. The second model offered is higher-end and therefore significantly more expensive.

Next, take a long exposure with a nice foreground if possible (but not too long or your stars will look like lines due to the Earth’s rotation). Be careful, try to focus on either the stars, the moon, or some other bright object far away from you. If there is a peak of attention, take advantage of it.

It should be noted that the comet will pass near Polaris on January 30/31. As all astronomers know, Polaris is close to the Celestial Pole, the Earth’s axis of rotation. So, it might be wise to choose this date for your photo shoot. The comet moves slower and you will be able to get longer exposures because you will feel less of the Earth’s rotation.

While it’s always advisable to stay away from cities to avoid light pollution, it’s not an obligation. However, the Neowise you see above was brighter than C/2022 E3 (ZTF) would have been. So remember that photos of comets are sometimes as unpredictable as the comets themselves. So hang in there.