The comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will pass the Sun at its closest point Thursday, letting it possibly become visible to observers in the Northern Hemisphere while the sky is clear and dark.
“On a voyage through the inner Solar System, comet 2022 E3 will be at perihelion, its closest to the Sun, in the new year on January 12 and at perigee, its closest to our fair planet, on February 1,” NASA explained in a release.
The best time to view the comet Thursday on the northeastern horizon is just after midnight, according to astronomy site EarthSky.