Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and Mars
May 29, 2023
Photographer: Paolo Bardelli
Summary Author: Paolo Bardelli
The first image, from the evening of February 10, 2023, depicts Comet ZTF the day before its conjunction with Mars. 103 shots (out of 125) registered on the comet were added for a total shooting time of 125 minutes.
The stars appear streaked due to the comet's proper motion, of which we can see the typical emerald-green coma and a thin tail of ions. Planet Mars is the brightest stripe, and, as can be seen in the box, it’s not perfectly parallel to that of the stars because in the meantime it’s moved slightly along its orbit.
The lower image shows the path of the ZTF from 9 to 14 February 2023 in a sum of multiple exposures recorded on the stars, in which it’s evident that the comet moved almost perpendicular to the Red Planet. In this sequence the image of February 10 is missing because the sky suddenly became overcast at the end of the shot. Also, note the conjunction with the orange star Aldebaran, the eye of the Taurus, on the evening of February 14th.
Photo details: Canon 60Da DSRL camera; 200 mm telephoto lens; processing with Iris, Photoshop, CC. Photos from 9-14 February taken with a 50 mm lens.
Albusciago, Italy Coordinates: 45.7395, 8.7939
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