ARCHIVED - Once in a lifetime: Green Comet will be visible from the south of Spain for first time in 50,000 years
Look out for the stunning green-tailed comet crossing our skies at the end of this month
The comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), which was discovered by the Zwicky Transient Facility project (California Institute of Technology) on March 2, 2022 and is being nicknamed the ‘Green Comet’, will soon be crossing our skies for the first time in 50,000 years.
Its tail, which is formed by the erosion caused as the celestial body approaches the sun, is thousands of miles long, meaning that the Green Comet will be visible to the naked eye without the need for a telescope.
This is the first time this comet has returned to our solar system in 50,000 years, meaning the last people to see it were the Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals.
When is the best time to see the Green Comet in Spain?
The green comet will be most visible from Murcia, Almeria and Alicante at the end of January and beginning of February.
Specifically, the best days to see it with the naked eye will be on Wednesday February 1 and Thursday 2, which is when C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will be closest to our planet: around 42 million kilometers away.
Look to the northwest, just before dawn, for the best chance of seeing the comet. The best place to go is in a high place without light pollution, such as up in the mountainous countryside.
However, while it is possible to see the comet with the naked eye, it is better to use a telescope. According to National Geographic, stargazers who try to spot the comet up in the sky without the help of a telescope “will only see a greenish spot in the sky, so it is very unlikely that they will appreciate its characteristic green-coloured tail”.
Astronomers from the California Institute of Technology reckon that this may be the last time this comet comes back to our solar system as it’s possible that it will either die out before it comes back around again or its orbit will not lead it past us ever again.
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The Astronomy and Science Centre Foundation has star-themed events and activities to delight novices and experts of all ages
Astronomy Tours runs a whole host of astronomical activities and events in the Murcia Region, from astronomical observation sessions to a magical cruise under the stars, to really fire up an interest in the cosmic world beyond our atmosphere.
Their main base of operations is the Finca Astronomica, located close to the town of La Aljorra in the Campo de Cartagena, where you can join their astronomy tours either in the daytime or at night, all year round.
At the Finca, you’re welcomed with delicious food, drinks, a bonfire and a variety of astronomical tools and gadgets. In the summer season, they also have tours in other locations, including San Pedro del Pinatar, La Manga and Camposol, not to mention their unmissable cruise under the stars, which involves a nighttime cruise on the Mar Menor with tapas and drinks, plus a guided presentation of the night sky as you watch the galaxy glide by.
The Astronomy Tours and the Finca Astronomica are supported by the Astronomy and Science Centre Foundation, which was founded in 2019 by a group of astronomers and Starlight-certified guides and monitors in the astronomical observatories in Spain.The purpose of the Foundation is to promote the knowledge and interest in the field of astronomy and astronomy-related sciences, which covers areas such as physics, chemistry, biology, geology, but also history, archeology, urban and medical aspects of social life, literature, art, culture and (of course) astrology.
By promoting this knowledge and getting their customers interested in astronomy, the Foundation hopes to achieve higher goals such as bringing the stars a little closer to people, and helping them to understand the importance of caring about our planet and the whole human population as a one.
To achieve those goals, the Foundation organises its day- and nighttime activities and camps which are suitable for both children and adults, and as well as this they work with 
schools and organisations and write books for children to bring astronomy to the masses.
schools and organisations and write books for children to bring astronomy to the masses.As part of this mission, they’re creating an astronomically themed park right on the Costa Cálida called the Astronomy and Science Centre which has an observatory available to the public to see the stars and the planets, and where they also promote ecofriendly and sustainable activities and closeness to nature.
The Finca Astronomica even has its own friendly and well cared for animals which live in really big spaces where people can easily enter and interact with them in their own environment.
What’s more, you can get involved in all sorts of other fun and activities for all the family at the Finca Astronomica, including glamping under the stars, stroking the animals at their petting zoo and enhoying sports like darts, archery, nerf gun fights, and many more.
Tours are available in English, Spanish and Polish.
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