Eagle-eyed skywatchers may be able to pick out the green tinge of a comet as it passes far above the Earth this month.
The comet is known as the ‘Swan’ comet and is bright enough that it can be seen with the naked eye.
It’ll be noticeable in the dark night sky because of its greenish tinge and long, blue tail.
Comets have that greenish tinge because they’re mostly made of ice. As opposed to asteroids which are predominantly rock.
The comet is passing Earth at a distance of 75 million miles and the very best time to see it is this week.
When is the best time to see Comet Swan?
The comet will make its closest approach to Earth on May 13. You’ll have a good opportunity to see it on the dates either side of that day, but for the very best view mark the 13th in your calendar.
While the southern hemisphere will get a better view of the comet, it’s still possible to see it in the UK. Some stargazers have even reported seeing it this week.
Where does Comet Swan come from?
Not a great deal is known about the comet as it was only discovered very recently.
It was found on April 11, 2020, by an amateur astronomer from Australia named Michael Mattiazzo.
He was analysing data from Nasa’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) – specifically images from the SWAN camera (Solar Wind Anisotropies instrument) – when he found it.
Mattiazzo noticed a comet that suddenly appeared in images that were taken on March 25, 2020. It was given the name Comet SWAN after the device used to find it.
Astronomers are now hard at work trying to learn more about the dazzling green comet.
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