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The Green Comet

Wilbatilda@bbs profile image
Wilbatilda
Jan 22, 2023 9:21 PM

This post is in relation to @mmk's post on the green comet which is due to pass the earth at it's closest distance on 1 February. You don't want to miss it, because it won't pass again for another 50,000 years. 

You can read the post here: 

🙋‍♂️Hi friend.. I want to show you a unique opportunity to see the green comet..A rare green comet is getting closer and closer to our planet, and in a few days it will approach Earth at the smallest distance. Subsequently, this comet will never be observed again...Comet C/2022 E3 is getting closer and closer to Earth and can already be observed in the sky with a small telescope. It will come closest to Earth on February 1 at 7:11 p.m., when the comet will be about 42 million kilometers away from us. The comet was discovered only in March last year. Based on calculations of the comet's orbit, astronomers have found that it will fly around the Sun and Earth only once every 50,000 years. This means that the last time it flew around the Earth was before the beginning of the last ice age, when Neanderthals lived on Earth.<a href=
bbs.marketGreen comet.. 🌠🙋‍♂️Hi friend.. I want to show you a unique opportunity to see the green comet..A rare green comet is getting closer and closer to our planet, and in a few days it will approach Earth at the smallest distance. Subsequently, this comet will never be observed again...Comet C/2022 E3 is getting closer and closer to Earth and can already be observed in the sky with a small telescope. It will come closest to Earth on February 1 at 7:11 p.m., when the comet will be about 42 million kilometers away from us. The comet was discovered only in March last year. Based on calculations of the comet's orbit, astronomers have found that it will fly around the Sun and Earth only once every 50,000 years. This means that the last time it flew around the Earth was before the beginning of the last ice age, when Neanderthals lived on Earth.<a href=

@MMK set us the task of discovering why the comet is green. The reason is, "The head of the comet can glow green due to the presence of a chemical called diatomic carbon". 

Source

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Of course then I had to find out what is diatomic carbon. It is a gas, a carbon vapour, and it exists only above temperatures of 3642°C and is common in comets. 

Source

I also found some interesting facts about it's name. 

https://www.timeanddate.com/news/astronomy/green-comet-2023https://www.timeanddate.com/news/astronomy/green-comet-2023

I think there is a good chance this comet will be visible in my area, or at least a little more into the countryside. Sadly I won't be forcing my kids out of bed to go and spot it 🤭 but I hope someone here will because I bet it will be fascinating! I will look forward to seeing some good news photos of the comet and hopefully to read more about it here at scite! 

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