Comet ZTF (2022 E3) (1 Viewer)

[tenex]

In binoculars it's round and fuzzy. In our 82mm scope at 70x I can see the central bright point Sky & Telescope described as "prominent near-stellar pseudo-nucleus", but nothing further. How large a scope would be needed to show a tail or greenish color? How much would a truly dark sky matter? (suburban light pollution here)

 

[Pinewood]

In binoculars it's round and fuzzy. In our 82mm scope at 70x I can see the central bright point Sky & Telescope described as "prominent near-stellar pseudo-nucleus", but nothing further. How large a scope would be needed to show a tail or greenish color? How much would a truly dark sky matter? (suburban light pollution here)

Hello Tenex,

Quite a bit. See this image. However, it is a stacked image, but the advice to use binoculars is well taken. This week should provide the best opportunity as the comet approaches nearer to earth.

Stay safe,
Arthur

 

[Binastro]

The round and fuzzy part is the coma.

The central bright point is the central condensation.

The nucleus of a comet is too small to be seen in binoculars or small telescopes.

The brightness is measured in a dark place with the smallest binocular that clearly shows the comet or in this case maybe with unaided eyes.

The green colour may need a a large telescope, although photos show comet colours fairly easily.

There may be two tails and an anti tail in photos or in very dark skies.

Regards,
B.

 

[wllmspd]

Pretty easy from a nicely light polluted suburb (with a bright moon too) with 10x50 binoculars. Looked like a bright nebulous fuzz, with possibly a tiny bright point in the centre. One of the brighter ones I’ve seen, wonder if I’ll get another chance to see it.

Peter

 

[tenex]

However, it is a stacked image

Unfortunately my eyes don't take time exposures, much less stack them. I was wondering what this looks like with a nice dark sky. I recall being pleased even here with the view of Neowise a couple of years ago, to which this doesn't compare.

 

[has530]

Unfortunately my eyes don't take time exposures, much less stack them. I was wondering what this looks like with a nice dark sky. I recall being pleased even here with the view of Neowise a couple of years ago, to which this doesn't compare.

I saw it 9 days ago from very dark skies. It was still quite dim at the point but was clearly visible with my sears discoverer 7x50 10°. Clear central area with a definite greenish tinge and a slight fuzzy coma. I am unfortunately now back in civilization and even now as it's magnitude has greatly increased my light polluted skies show very little.

 

[Pepitogrillo]

Anyone have observed the green comet with spotting scope?

 

[Allen]

Yes managed to see it last night from south UK through Swarovski ATX.....a fuzzy nebulous area with a brighter spot when looked at peripherally with eyes

 

[Allen]

Yes managed to see it last night from south UK through Swarovski ATX.....a fuzzy nebulous area with a brighter spot when looked at peripherally with eyes

Had another look tonight and zoomed in fully. Still a fuzzy nebula and to be honest better zoomed out to about 45x.

 

[Tringa45]

There is little point in using high magnifications with attendant small exit pupils on faint fuzzy objects when your dilated eye pupils need as much light as they can get.
I made the mistake of directing my 30x65 scope (2,2 mm exit pupil) on Neowise and saw just a faint blob in a suburban sky.
With a 7x42 binocular I could at least see the tail and used this as an excuse to buy an 8x56 SLC, which has given me wonderful views of the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy at a dark site.
Yuji Hayakutake used a 25x150 Fujinon binocular to discover the comet that was named after him.

John

 

[tenex]

Even at perihelion, even after moonset, ZTF looks no better here in any of my binoculars. I don't understand why efforts to reduce light pollution never catch on. Forget the Milky Way, one easily forgets that there are very many stars at all.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Knowing just where to look with something like a 50% moon last weekend, I could make out a smudged blur with my binoculars. It was nothing to compare with the great views that Neowise gave in July 2020 when I photographed it with a focal length of near enough 50mm as part of a scene (1st image). Last Sunday ZTF needed a longer focal length to look like anything at all from our house. No stacking, just single images.

The second image (FL 35mm) is a scene-setter with the comet just above centre left. Polaris a bit to to the left and Dubhe and Merak over on the right. The third shot is a heavy crop at 200mm and the 4th image is a little later that evening, again heavily cropped from a 500mm zoom.

All in all, nice to see, but not much in the way of spectacle.

 

[tenex]

At least you can see a bit of asymmetry in those images. Nice.