Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) at UBC

The UBC Astronomy Club held an open observation event at the UBC Rose Garden on January 29th, 2023, to witness the peak brightness of Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF). With the media’s attention and the widespread news of the “green comet,” we anticipated a large turnout. The event was a success, and even CTV News joined us for a part of the night to cover the occasion.

We set up various telescopes, including a 12” and 8” Dobsonian, Sean’s NP101 refractor, the APM 140 refractor, and my Kowa 883 spotting scope. Having seen the comet the night before under darker skies, I was aware that the comet wouldn’t be the most visually impressive sight. With my 4” refractor, I struggled to see any significant detail in the core or gas tail. It was nowhere near as impressive as comet neowise.

However, the waxing gibbous moon overhead proved to be a crowd-pleaser. It was a dazzling sight, and I spent most of the night ensuring that my Kowa was pointed at the moon. As expected, the moon was a fantastic sight through the fluorite spotter.

The APM 140 was the most popular telescope of the night, with lines stretching up the stairs toward the flagpole. We estimate that at least 400 people attended the event. Unfortunately, the comet appeared as a faint, fuzzy ball through the refractor, and the green color that cameras can capture was challenging to discern. As Kamryn stated on the club’s Discord after the event, “Thanks, everyone, for coming out. We hope you enjoyed seeing a once-in-a-lifetime smudge 😉.”

Overall, the UBC Astronomy Club’s open observation event was a great success. Despite the comet’s underwhelming appearance, the event’s turnout and media attention were proof of people’s fascination with space and the universe. The stunning moon and the opportunity to observe it through high-quality telescopes made for an unforgettable night for all who attended. We hope that events like these continue to inspire people to explore and appreciate the wonders of the cosmos.