The last time this comet passed, Neanderthals roamed Earth. Here’s how to livestream it

Shaun Goodwin

An ancient green comet not seen since Neanderthals roamed the Earth will make its closest approach to the sun since the last ice age tonight.

And you’ll have the chance to watch it, even if you can’t make it outside or have no visibility in your area.

The Virtual Telescope Project will host a free live stream of the comet on its website and YouTube channel starting at 9 p.m. Mountain time/ 8 p.m. Pacific time.

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), which is approximately 1 km in size, was discovered by astronomers in March 2022 at the Zwicky Transient Facility at the California Institute of Technology. The facility operates the Palomar Observatory at California’s Palomar Mountain, northeast of San Diego.

Initially thought to be an asteroid, astronomers quickly realized that C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was a comet as it rapidly brightened as it moved from the inner orbit of Jupiter.

Comets consist of ice and frozen gasses, McClatchy News previously reported, which heat up quickly as they approach the sun. Some of the ice turns into gas as it heats up, forming a comet’s tail — in C/2022 E3 (ZTF)’s case, it’s green.

The comet will approach the sun on Thursday night, its closest approach in 50,000 years. The last time it was this close, Neanderthals still lived in central Europe and Asia, while modern humans were taking their first steps in Africa.

Back then, they had no idea of the comet’s approach. But this time, we’ll be able to watch it on a live stream as it hurtles through the solar system.

Christopher Petro captured this photo of the NEOWISE comet in the skies above Cerro San Luis in San Luis Obispo on July 17, 2020.
Christopher Petro captured this photo of the NEOWISE comet in the skies above Cerro San Luis in San Luis Obispo on July 17, 2020.

Seeing the comet in-person

If you want to see C/2022 E3 (ZTF) with your own eyes, it will make its closest approach to Earth on Feb. 2. Astronomers say there is a chance it may be visible with the naked eye if the comet continues to brighten, but otherwise it will be visible through binoculars or a telescope throughout.

Although the comet won’t be as close to the earth as on Feb. 2, the New Moon on Jan. 21 will provide the darkest skies for comet-watching, according to Space.com.

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