Bengaluru doctor captures a rare green comet that visits Earth every 50,000 years

A brilliant green comet passing through the inner solar system is the talk of the town among astrophotographers.

In late January and early February, the comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will be coming within 6,000 miles of Earth for the first time since the Stone Age. It hasn't been seen in 50,000 years, and after it's gone, it won't be for millennia. January 12 marked the comet's closest visit to the sun, and February 2 will mark its closest approach to Earth.

Bengaluru-based Dr. Zahid Ahmed, a doctor and amateur astrophotographer, captured a glimpse of this rare comet this morning, from his terrace, using his amateur star-watching gear. He caught the image at 5.30 a.m. on January 14, using his GSO 6 inch Newtonian telescope. "I am part of the Bangalore Astronomical Society. I started this hobby around six or seven months ago. As a club, we go to remote places during free time to star watch," he says. Zahid says the comet is bound to get brighter, and might be visible even to the naked eye during early February. "Now it is gone toward the sun. Around the beginning of February, it will circle back to earth and will be at the closest point from us," he says, adding how incredible it is that we can watch a comet that last came around when the dinosaurs were alive.

Dr Zahid Ahmed