On February 7th 2023, a rare event occurred in our skies: a comet was seen crossing the night sky, appearing in a mesmerizing shade of green. Not only that, onlookers were amazed to discover two separate constellations, the Big and Little Dippers, were also visible in the night sky at the same time.
This celestial event took place in the pre-dawn hours in the Northern Hemisphere. It was made even more special by the presence of the green comet. This was determined to be comet C/2023 A2, a newly discovered comet that was passing through the inner solar system and visible to the naked eye.
As comet C/2023 A2 moved across the sky, the two Dippers were clearly visible in the night sky. The most prominent constellation of the two was the Big Dipper, also known as Ursa Major. Its seven stars formed a giant ladle-shaped asterism in the sky. This constellation, which is made up of stars from the larger constellation of Ursa Major, is the most recognizable star pattern in the night sky.
The second constellation, the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor), was a bit harder to spot in the night sky. However, its seven stars, which are also part of the larger constellation of Ursa Minor, were visible in the sky. These two star patterns, the Big and Little Dippers, were beautifully framed by the green comet as it passed through the sky.
The rare green comet was an amazing sight to behold, and the two Dippers only added to the celestial beauty of the evening. Unfortunately, this unique event won’t be seen again anytime soon, as comet C/2023 A2 is only making a one-time appearance. This rare event serves as a reminder of the beauty and mystery that exists in the night sky.