The image shows a close-up view of Comet c/2022 E3 (ZTF) on January 31, 2023, just a few hours before it reach the maximum approach to our Planet Earth. Still featuring the wonderful greenish-blue coma from glowing carbon gas, the rare anti-tail is now pointing towards down due the actual position in the orbital plane. The comet is now showing almost a single distinct ion tail. This was perhaps my last image of this beauty due to the full moon presence acting as a natural source of light pollution and the fact that from now on, the comet it will decrease in brightness as is starts to fade way in a long journey of 50,000 years immersed in the deepest cold and darkness of the Solar System. This cosmic portrait also reveals dozens of galaxies surrounding the Comet dust. Captured late in the night at a distance of 43.1 million Km from Dark Sky® Alqueva Observatory in Portugal. ZTF was located in the constellation of Camelopardalis, showing a faint visual magnitude of +5.4.
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