received

date of publication :

Monday

11:21 2023-1-30

Last update :

Monday

11:26 2023-1-30

Oman – Opinion
The head of the Jordanian Astronomical Society, Dr. Ammar Al-Sakji, said that the green comet, which was discovered by American astronomers in the spring of last year, will reach the closest point to Earth in its orbit around the sun on the first of next February, at a distance of approximately 43 million kilometers and at a speed of 57 kilometers per second relative to Earth. .

He explained in a press statement today, Monday, that the comet will be very difficult to see with the naked eye, as its shape is dim in the standard areas due to the intensity of darkness, light pollution and clear air, and it can be seen through binoculars and telescopes.

He pointed out that some scientific journals and international and Arab media confirmed that the green comet will return and approach Earth after 50 thousand years, while accurate and classified calculations and measurements in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the US Space Agency NASA and some astronomical centers indicate that the orbit of this comet will be open and not off.

He added that the Jordanian Astronomical Society has monitored the comet several times during the past days, and currently it can be monitored north of the planetarium, indicating that on the first of February it will be at the point closest to Earth and will move in the Giraffe Tower, which is one of the constellations of the northern half of the planetarium, and it can be monitored throughout the night, i.e. An hour after sunset until half past five in the morning.

Dr. Al-Sakji said that the comet will be in the middle of the sky after 10:30 pm Jordan time, at an angle of 49 degrees above the northern horizon.