Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)

C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is a recently discovered comet that was first observed on March 4, 2022 by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), a robotic sky survey telescope located at Palomar Observatory in California.

This comet has an elliptical orbit, with a period of approximately 8,000 years, and it is currently moving towards the inner solar system. It reached perihelion, its closest approach to the Sun, on January 9, 2023, and is now gradually moving away from the Sun.

As a comet approaches the Sun, it heats up and releases gas and dust particles, creating a glowing coma and a tail that can be visible from Earth. The appearance and brightness of the comet can vary over time as it gets closer or farther from the Sun, and as it rotates and releases different amounts of gas and dust.

It is not unusual for a comet's appearance to change from day to day, even from hour to hour, as it interacts with the solar wind and other factors. Below are three images of C/2022 E3 (ZTF) captured different days and stages of the comet's activity and therefore show different results. It’s interesting to compare your images and see how the comet evolved over time.

C/2022 E3 (ZTF) Image taken Feb 19 2023

C/2022 E3 (ZTF) Image taken Jan 17 19 2023

C/2022 E3 (ZTF) Image taken Jan 15 19 2023