29 January 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Once-In-A-Lifetime comet, ZTF, is quickly moving through outer space. KSNT Stormtrack Meteorologist Ryan Matoush and local astronomer Brenda Culbertson had a chance to experiment and make a comet of their own with a few different materials.
The comet has been visible to us here on Earth for several days now, but it isn’t necessarily the easiest to spot in our nighttime sky. Below is a diagram from NASA on where the comet will be in relation to a few well known constellations.
The comet is known for its bright green tail that space enthusiasts have managed to photograph with special equipment. Culbertson wants viewers to know that if you’re looking for the comet with your naked eye, it won’t look anything like these photographs.
Brenda also offered up a few additional diagrams that may be useful to others who wish to learn just a bit more about the anatomy of a comet. Below are two different diagrams from NASA that dive into the structures of a comet and their orbits around the sun.
For more information on comet ZTF, be sure to check out our other story here.