Green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) may be heading out of the solar system for good

[Admin]

Green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) has been predicted to have a period of 50,000 years, but there’s a chance it’s racing out of the solar system.

Green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) may be heading out of the solar system for good : Read more

 

[rod]

"According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA JPL) the comet is on a 50,000-year orbit of the sun, or at least it was. The close approach of C/2022 E3 (ZTF) to the inner solar system might have altered its orbit enough to ensure it is now on a one-way trip out of the solar system. "When a solar system object is 'weakly hyperbolic' — that is, it has just enough speed that it would, after thousands of years, escape from the gravity of the Ssn [solar system] entirely —  then even small changes in speed can change the orbit dramatically," Adler Planetarium scientist Geza Gyuk said in a statement(opens in new tab). "If an object is 'weakly bound' —  that is, the orbit is a closed ellipse, but very large  —  then it can be unbound and turn into a 'weakly hyperbolic' orbit very easily."

Interesting, the eccentricity report is > 1.0 for some of the reports, earlier less than 1.0.

MPEC 2022-F13 : COMET C/2022 E3 (ZTF)

We are the official body that deals with astrometric observations and orbits of minor planets (asteroids) and comets.

minorplanetcenter.net

Orbital elements:
C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
Epoch 2023 Jan. 16.0 TT = JDT 2459960.5
T 2023 Jan. 13.18676 TT Rudenko
q 1.1142870 (2000.0) P Q
z +0.0000075 Peri. 145.77014 -0.59957589 -0.07436053
+/-0.0017500 Node 302.51706 +0.33745805 +0.87934395
e 0.9999916 Incl. 109.09060 +0.72569333 -0.47034533
From 62 observations 2022 Mar. 2-21, mean residual 0".3.

C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
Epoch 2022 Jan. 21.0 TT = JDT 2459600.5
T 2023 Jan. 13.22509 TT Rudenko
q 1.1145097 (2000.0) P Q
z +0.0001782 Peri. 145.77000 -0.59961021 -0.07432640
+/-0.0017500 Node 302.51764 +0.33743842 +0.87936168
e 0.9998014 Incl. 109.09424 +0.72567410 -0.47031758
From 62 observations 2022 Mar. 2-21, mean residual 0".3.

e > 1.0 here:
C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
Epoch 2023 Feb. 25.0 TT = JDT 2460000.5
T 2023 Jan. 12.78377 TT Rudenko
q 1.1122258 (2000.0) P Q
z -0.0002948 Peri. 145.81613 -0.60063693 -0.07340165
+/-0.0000006 Node 302.55513 +0.33754320 +0.87940287
e 1.0003278 Incl. 109.16793 +0.72477574 -0.47038578
From 4964 observations 2021 July 10-2023 Jan. 6, mean residual 0".5.

Some values could suggest a closed orbit, knowing with certainty seems more like a comet story linking to the long ago, past I have observed this comet 12x now since 24-Dec-2022, Corona Borealis around Ursa Minor, near Mars, and perhaps again tonight where it will be some 2.5-degrees or so from Aldebaran about 2000 EST for my location. Interesting to use 10x50 binoculars and 90-mm refractor telescope, observe and record the comet observations in my home database (MS ACCESS). Others reported how difficult the comet was to track down and see (some did not see this comet), theskylive.com reports 6.4 magnitude now for the comet.

 

[rod]

I did view this comet again tonight. Observed 1800-2000 EST. Last Quarter Moon 13-Feb-2023 1601 UT. I enjoyed some very good views of C/2022 E3 (ZTF) this evening using the XT10i with TeleVue 35-mm PO. 34x and true FOV about 1.8-degrees. The XT10i presented a brighter image and easier to see than my 90-mm refractor telescope views. The comet was a bit more than 2.5-degrees from Aldebaran and about 56 arcminutes from the open cluster NGC 1647 in Taurus (Stellarium 1.2). Bright nucleus and larger comma, a tint of green or blue green in the nucleus area. The open cluster NGC 1647 and C/2022 E3 (ZTF), I could see both in the FOV, this was an enjoyable sight and could make for a good photo. Theskylive.com reported magnitude 6.3 magnitude for C/2022 E3 (ZTF) this evening. Stellarium 1.2 shows NGC 1647 open cluster 6.4. I did enjoy some views of M45 in Taurus as well, excellent. Clear skies, temperature 6C, winds 270/6 knots. Some polar orbiting satellites passed by the FOV near the comet tonight while I viewed. Using the 9x50 finder scope, I could see C/2022 E3 (ZTF) as a distinct fuzzy in the finder. The Telrad made for easy targeting and locating, placing the comet in the eyepiece FOV.