Green Comet UK: When to see it and Met Office forecast

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) has already been visible through binoculars and telescopes this month but is set to be seen by the naked eye as its draws closer to the planet.

For those without the expensive equipment usually needed to see these spectacular sights, experts are advising people to catch the comet early next month as this is when it will be at its brightest against the night sky.

When it reaches its closest point at around 28 million miles away, it will be visible across the northern and southern hemispheres.

Canva - The green comet will be visible for first time since the Stone Age (Image: Canva)

NASA described the comet's appearance as an "awesome opportunity to make a personal connection with an icy visitor from the distant outer solar system."

What do we know about the rare green comet not seen since the Stone Age?

The green comet, which was discovered on March 2, 2022, was spotted by Zwicky Transient Facility in California with astronomers calculating that the last time it could have been seen from Earth was during the Stone Age.

The comet is thought to have originated from the outskirts of our solar system in the Oort Cloud.

NASA describes this cloud as a "collection of icy objects farther away than everything else in the solar system."

This cloud is so far away that no spacecraft has yet been able to explore it, though some are making their way over slowly but will sadly be out of power by the time they arrive.

How to see rare green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) on its closest approach in 50,000 years

So far, the comet has been at its most visible before dawn but as we move into February, the comet will be more viewable from the evening onwards.

The comet is expected to be at its brightest between Wednesday and Thursday (February 1 and 2)

However, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich says that you should check what time the moon will rise where you live to avoid the moon's glow from ruining the spectacle.

Met Office weather forecast for the UK when the rare green comet makes its closest approach

The Met Office's long-range weather forecast predicts that between Saturday, January 28 and Monday, February 6, there will mostly be variable amounts of cloud and dry conditions across most parts of the UK.

However, there could be wet and wintry showers in areas such as the west, north and northwest. The far north could even see gales while most of the south will remain dry.