Assuming that it continues to follow predictions, comet C/2022 E3 ZTF will be in naked-eye territory this month, and fairly well-placed for viewing from the UK.
On 1 February, the comet is located at high declination in the constellation of Camelopardalis, the Giraffe.
Not known for strong patterns, the faint stars of Camelopardalis will make finding the comet that little bit harder.
Find out more in our Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF blog
Comet C2022 E3 ZTF: February dates and times
At 00:00 UT on 1 February, Comet E3 is located 2° south of mag. 4.6 HIP 33694, the star that marks the top of the giraffe’s head.
This star is, in itself, quite tricky to identify.
The best we can do is to suggest looking at the point midway between Dubhe (Alpha (α) Ursae Majoris) and Segin (Epsilon (ε) Cassiopeiae).
HIP 33694 sits more or less half way between these two brighter and more identifiable stars.
At 00:00 UT on 2 February, Comet E3 will have progressed to another ‘main’ star of Camelopardalis, HIP 29997, with C/2022 E3 lying 1° to the north of this mag. 4.8 star on this date.
As it continues on its south-southwest journey, the comet thankfully passes into a region of more identifiable stars within Auriga, the Charioteer.
Unfortunately, as it does so it will be slowly beginning to fade.
On the night of 5/6 February, C/2022 E3 ZTF is very conveniently positioned 1° west-northwest to west of Capella (Alpha (α) Aurigae).
At 03:00 UT on 6 February, the comet is located 1.5° due west of the star and expected to appear at mag. 5.2.
It passes immediately west of the Kids asterism formed by Eta (η) and Zeta (ζ) Aurigae during the morning of 7 February, and lies two-thirds of a degree to the west of Hassaleh (Iota (ι) Aurigae) on the evening of 8 February.
Its subsequent track takes it east of Mars. On the night of 10/11 February it lies northeast of the mag. 0.0 planet, and on 11/12 February it can be found to the southeast.
This is the time C/2022 E3 ZTF is expected to have an integrated magnitude of +6.0, theoretically moving into binocular territory, although in truth it was probably here for most of the month anyway.
At 00:00 UT on 15 February, the comet sits 1.5° east of Aldebaran (Alpha (α) Tauri), heading south to track just west of the curved line formed from Pi1 (≠1) to Pi6 (≠6) Orionis between 18 February through to the start of March.
By the time the end of the month has arrived, it is expected to have faded to mag. +8.1.
This guide originally appeared in the February 2023 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
