At a Glance

The green comet is visible in the night sky now.It's best viewed in the early-morning hours.Binoculars or a small telescope are recommended.

Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.

A green comet is speeding past Earth right now – here are some things to know about it.

W​hen To See It

I​t's visible in the night sky through the middle of February, depending on conditions in your area - including, weather, cloud cover and light pollution. Astronomers say the best time to look is in the predawn hours and under the darkest conditions possible.

The green comet's closest approach to Earth, also known as perigee, is overnight Wednesday into Thursday, when it will pass within about 28,000 miles.

Where To See It

T​he green comet is generally visible in the northern sky through early February. Look for the , or Polaris, for a general idea of how to spot it.

A​nd it's visible from anywhere in the U.S., University of New Hampshire astronomer John Gianforte told us in a Facebook live event Tuesday.

"The North Star and the stars immediately around the North Star are always above the horizon," Gianforte said. "So if you have a good view to the north without buildings or trees, as soon as it gets dark, you can see the comet. And until it gets light, because it never sets below the horizon."

N​ight sky and stargazing apps will also be helpful in pinpointing it, and w​ebsite has a daily guide to viewing the green comet.

This photo provided by Dan Bartlett shows comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) on Dec. 19, 2022. It last visited during Neanderthal times, according to NASA. It is expected to come within 26 million miles (42 million kilometers) of Earth on Feb. 1, 2023, before speeding away again, unlikely to return for millions of years.

(Dan Bartlett via AP)

H​ow To See It

W​hile it might be visible with the naked eye under perfect conditions and at the right time, astronomers say binoculars or a small telescope will greatly raise the odds of spotting the green comet as it zooms past Earth at speeds of about 128,500 mph.

"This one has reached naked eye visibility, but you have to live in a dark location with not a lot of light pollution to spoil your view," Gianforte said.

I​f you don't want to take your chances, a of the green comet's closest approach will be broadcast by the Virtual Telescope Program starting at 11 p.m. ET Wednesday.

Why Is It Green?

Scientists say c​arbon in the gas cloud around the comet's nucleus makes it appear , hence its nickname.

"When they get close to the sun, the sun's radiation sublimates the volatiles, the gases and the ices that make up the comet and that turns into one or more cometary tails in this huge cloud of gas and ices that kind of expands around the comet, Gianforte said. "We call that a coma, but it can be a million miles across or the nucleus of the comet might only be a few kilometers across."

D​espite its green glow, the comet isn't expected to be nearly as bright as 2020's Neowise.

What's All The Fuss About?

O​ne reason the green comet is getting so much attention is because the last time it cruised through Earth's neighborhood was some 50,000 years ago - when the planet was in the midst of the last ice age.

I​t's what's known as a comet because of the amount of time it takes to orbit the sun.

"Comets such as this are from the outermost reaches of our solar system, taking tens of thousands of years to make their way into our vicinity," CalTech astronomer told Space.com.

T​he green comet's official name is.

Want To Know More?

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, .