Green Comet 2023: When it will peak, how to watch it in Sheffield - Met Office forecast

A once-in-a-lifetime comet is set to reach its peak and be most visible in the UK next week, illuminating the sky over Sheffield once again. Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), also known as the ‘Green Comet’, was last visible during the Stone Age and is now heading for its closest approach to Earth on Wednesday, February 1.

According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the comet, which made its closest approach to the Sun on January 12, is already visible in the night sky using a telescope or some binoculars. However, as it gets brighter and closer, the comet could become visible to the naked eye against dark skies.

The comet is believed to come from the very outskirts of the solar system in the Oort Cloud, an unobserved area estimated by scientists to contain more than a trillion icy objects. The green comet was first spotted in March 2022 at the Zwicky Transient Facility in California, which is why the acronym ZTF features in its name.

However, comets can be unpredictable, said Royal Museums Greenwich, and it’s impossible to anticipate whether it will be bright enough or what it will look like ahead of time. The comet is also not expected to develop a visible tail without a telescope, but this could change.

For the time being, the comet appears in the sky as a fuzzy green ball due to UV radiation from the Sun lighting up the gases pouring off the comet’s surface.  Here’s everything you need to know about how you can catch a glimpse of the spectacular display in Sheffield.

When will the Green Comet peak in Sheffield?

Royal Museums Greenwich said there are few different ways to find out where in the night sky Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will appear. If you use a stargazing app, you to find the exact location of the comet in the sky. However, some apps may not be updated with comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)’s location, so you may have to try a few different ones.

The comet has moved from the constellation Corona Borealis on January 12, travelling up through Boötes and Draco before passing through Ursa Minor towards the end of January.  When it passes near Earth in February, the comet will be in the constellation of Camelopardalis.

After its closest approach, the green comet will move through Auriga and end up in Taurus mid-February. The comet will dim over the month, and the time that it will be up in the sky during the night will get shorter and shorter.

What will the weather be like in Sheffield?

While you don’t need any special equipment to see the comet when it reaches its peak, preparing ahead of time is always a good idea by first checking the weather forecast. According to the Met Office, Sheffield will experience cloudy skies throughout the day, with a maximum temperature of 8C.