A GREEN comet that was recently identified will fly past Earth for the first time in 50,000 years.
The Stone Age was the last time it was visible in the night sky.
The once-in-a-lifetime comet was found on March 2, 2022, by astronomers using the wide-field survey camera of the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California.
The ice cosmic object will pass by Earth at its closest point between February 1 and February 2, from a distance of 26million to 27million miles, according to EarthSky.
The name of the comet refers to its blazing green tail, which is caused by a chemical reaction between the comet’s diatomic carbon molecules (C2) and ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
The comet will reach its zenith in the sky at about 9.45pm on February 2 above the northern horizon, according to the astronomy blog In the Sky.
Shortly after dusk, it’s meant to initially appear, and just before 6am, it will vanish.
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