I tried to see the green comet, but made 3 crucial mistakes that left me disappointed

Fri, 02/10/2023 - 19:27

woman with curly hair wearing blue hat selfie smiling in front of tent — The author camped out at Pinnacles National Park to try and see green Comet ZTF.
Morgan McFall-Johnsen

I tried to see the famous green comet in the night skies, far from the city, last weekend.
It was much harder than I expected, even with advice from a pro, because I didn't plan ahead enough.
The moon outshined most of the stars, and I couldn't locate the faint comet, even with binoculars.

Only a tiny fraction of the human population will ever see the green comet screaming past Earth this month. I tried to become one of them, but it was way more difficult than I expected.