*The* BINTEL Guide to "The Green Comet" appearing now in our Australian and New Zealand skies  -

Where and when to see it

What you will see

What you need to view it

Plus: new Celestron Giveaway - Buy any Celestron Product and go into the draw to win a Celestron Evolution 5 Telescope

Gary Liney sent his image of the Rosette Nebula to BINTEL via the image submission link on our website. He used a Sky-Watcher AZ-GTI mount in EQ mode, a f/6 60mm refractor telescope and a ZWO ASI533MC Pro camera with L-Extreme duoband filter 

Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF - When and where to see it.

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) or "The Green Comet" as it's being called in the media is now visible in southern hemisphere skies.  

From the southern half of Australia including places like Sydney, we suggest you wait for a least a week or so before trying to see it, as it's still quite low on the horizon early in the month.

Our friends at Quasar Publishing  - the same folks behind the popular Australian astronomy annual  - have produced this excellent graphic which shows the path of Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) over the coming month or so.

Path of Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) over the coming month via Quasar Publishing

If you're not sure how to find objects in the night sky using a chart like this, we think there's one night you should take a crack at viewing the comet. 

It's the 9th of February 2023.  Here's where the comet will appear around 10pm in the North to North-West part of the sky. Here's an image of where it will be located in Sydney skies.  If you're in other parts of the country, allow for changes in timezones or slightly different views if you're further north or south.  

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) in the night sky - click here for a larger view

On that evening, grab a pair of binoculars or a small telescope with a wide field of view.  Start off with the open star cluster called the Pleiades or "The Seven Sisters".  Swing around to the right, going past the bright star above which is Mars.

You might need to look around a bit to find it exactly.  City or suburban locations suffer from light pollution. This could make finding the comet a bit trickier.

If you can't get out on this night, or the weather is not good, don't worry.  The comet will be visible on other nights and the chart above will help you locate it. 

PLEASE NOTE - you will need binoculars or a telescope to see this comet. 

What you will see - A wonderful sight but it won't appear green!

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) should be visible as soft, fuzzy patch in the sky. With any luck, you'll also see a fainter line leading away from the comet -this is the tail. 

It's also very likely to change appearance from night to night. If you've seen it, head out again to see how it's changes over the following evenings. Comets even sometimes have outbursts of brightness as larger chunks of matter are thrown off into space. We can accurately locate exactly where a comet will appear in the sky.  Its exact appearance is harder to predict!

(Sometimes comets even disintegrate entirely as they heat up during their orbit when they get close to the Sun. Hopefully this particular comet will make it around the Sun ok!)

 Astrophotographer Peng Fei Chou took this wonderful picture of the comet with a ASI6200MC Pro camera.

However - the one thing we can tell you for certain is the "Green Comet" won't appear Green when viewed through binoculars or a telescope.

The green colours you've see online or in the news are only visible via long exposure photographs.  They can't be seen visually even in larger telescopes. The views will be stunning, but they will be in black and white to your eyes.  

If you see a fuzzy patch with a "tail" leading away from it and it's not green, don't think "no, that's not it".  You're more than likely looking at the comet! While it might not be as spectacular as it appears in photos taken with expensive gear, what you're looking at is an ancient part of the Solar System whizzing around the Sun before it heads back out into deep space.

What you'll need to see the comet - Binoculars from $149 and telescopes from $199

As mentioned previously - you will need a pair of binoculars or a telescope to see Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF.  We stock a wide variety of both and here's some budget friendly suggestions.

Nikon Aculon A211 8×42 Binoculars - $149

These Nikon binoculars have an attractive price with the same quality as all other Nikon products. You mightn’t realise that binoculars are not just for birdwatching, nature viewing or taking to the cricket.  They also make handy companions for observing the night sky and this includes Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

Meade Infinity 70mm Refractor Telescope - $199

A "classic" 70mm refractor telescope is a perfect way to get started in astronomy. It offers views of the Moon, bright Solar System planets like Saturn and Jupiter plus it will let you see comets! 

You'll also be able to view nebulae, star clusters and other interesting objects the Milky Way. Highly portable and comes with everything you need to get started.

Not sure what to get?  - BINTEL has a wide variety of options for binoculars and telescopes for comet viewing. 

If you're unsure what to get, drop us a line or click on the link below for some other suggestions. 

Celestron Giveway - Buy any Celestron Product and go in the draw for a Celestron Evolution 5 Telescope

Celestron's local wholesale importers, TSA Outdoors, who also run the Celestron Australia social media accounts and local marketing are giving away a Celestron Evolution 5 telescope.  

All you need to do is purchase any Celestron product from the 1st of February until the 30th of March. Fill out your details via the link and submit your invoice via the link below.  It's a great competition and one we fully support! Best of luck!

Can comets have more than one tail? - Tails and even Anti-tails

Lots of comet photos show more than one tail. If comet tails are trails of debris thrown off a comet as it's heated by the Sun, why are there more than one of them?  

Various tales from Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).. Image via Miguel Claro

What's even more confusing is sometimes there seems to be a tail from the comet that points towards the Sun and not away from it. 

To find out more why comets often have more than one tail, click on the link below

Calling all science fiction and space enthusiasts – help ANU study Mars!

We were approached by Dr. Brad Tucker and his student from ANU, Oliver Read. 

They're looking for participants to give them information about their familiarity with space science fiction, what they have gained from it, and what they believe are the dangers in going to Mars.

You do not need to be an expert on the topic to participate! If you are not familiar with space fiction, they'd still like to hear from you! It should take 10 or so minutes and you must be aged 18 or older to participate.

You will be part of a cutting-edge study, laying a foundation for future research on space health awareness and education. You may opt in to have the study results sent to you when data analysis is complete

Full details of the survey and how to complete it from the link below.

Next time... Comet C/2022 (ZTF) images and a new binocular range arriving at BINTEL soon.