Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF): Exploring the Night Sky

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) became one of the most talked-about comets of 2023, delighting observers around the world as it made its closest approach to Earth. Although not a spectacular naked-eye object for most locations, it displayed a distinct green coma and a faint, sweeping tail, making it an excellent target for astrophotographers. The comet’s characteristic green hue was caused by diatomic carbon (C₂) molecules fluorescing in sunlight — a familiar but always beautiful signature of an active comet.

I captured my images of Comet ZTF during a stay in Haselünne, using my mobile astrophotography equipment under clear winter skies. Over several sessions, I followed the comet as it drifted steadily across the star fields of the northern sky, revealing subtle variations in its coma and tail structure. Even with modest equipment, its changing position and color made it a fascinating and dynamic target.

Image processing was carried out entirely in PixInsight, using comet-aligned stacking to emphasize the nucleus and surrounding coma while maintaining the delicate structure of the faint tail.