As hype builds for a one-kilometre-wide comet of ice and dust to soar past Earth for the first time in 50,000 years, one astrophysicist says there will be far more interesting things to turn skyward for this year.
According to NASA, comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was discovered in March last year and could be visible to the naked eye for the first time since about 48,000BC on February 2.
While NASA pointed out comets were "notoriously unpredictable", it said C/2022 E3 (ZTF) would at least be visible via binoculars if its current trend in brightness continued.
Jonti Horner from the University of Southern Queensland warned Australians not to get "too excited".
"It'll probably be the brightest comet this year, unless we get something that comes along and surprises us, but that doesn't mean that it's going to be a spectacular sight," Dr Horner said.
"At best, it's barely going to be visible with the naked eye, low in our northern sky, in mid-February."
Dr Horner said there were far better events to add to your calendar for the year ahead.
Spectacular view of Venus
Looking skyward from now until August would grant watchers a spectacular view of Venus in the west, Dr Horner said.
"Venus is great, because it's one of these things that — at least until Elon Musk and his Starlink satellites — Venus was the primary object that was the cause of UFO reports," he said.
"[Venus] feels like it's following you. So it really trips people out. At its brightest it really does look like an aircraft coming in with its headlights on."
He said if you could find Venus on the evening of January 23, Venus and Saturn would sit side-by-side with an incredible crescent moon, making for spectacular photos.
Eclipse of the Sun
People in north-west Queensland would be able to see a "partial chunk" of the Sun being eclipsed on April 20.
But Dr Horner said for anyone determined to see a total eclipse in all its glory, they would need to travel to Exmouth in Western Australia.
"On that little peninsula where Exmouth sits, you'll be right under the path of totality," he said.
"What that means is that the Sun and the Moon will line up perfectly in the sky, and the Moon will pass in front of the sun and block it out."
A pre-dawn show from Eta Aquarids
Dr Horner said a meteor shower called the Eta Aquarids would be visible for Australians between the end of April to early May.
He said the Eta Aquarids was actually the debris from Comet Halley.
"[They're] tiny fragments, the size of grains of dust hitting the Earth's atmosphere at stupid speeds measured in 10s of kilometres per second and burning up harmlessly about 8 kilometres up," he said.
To spot them, you'll need to be up two or three hours before sunrise.
"On a good night, you can see up to 20 or 30 per hour ... streaking across the sky," Dr Horner said.
Geminids 'the best of the lot'
Dr Horner said the best meteor shower of the year would happen on December 14 and 15.
"Geminids are slightly better the further north you go in Australia. You can see them slightly earlier in the evening," he said.
"The Geminids is really the best of the lot to be honest."
Watch out for surprises
Dr Horner said it was worth keeping an eye on good astronomy websites throughout the year to keep updated on the unexpected.
"Because if there is something unexpected that happens, like comets being discovered that will actually be bright ... you'll find that out through the kind of specialist astronomer news websites," he said.
"And those things can come along at any time and be a bit of a surprise to us."
Dr Horner said things like space junk and Starlink launches could also make for incredible viewing, which you usually only find out about a few days in advance.
Rockets in North Queensland
Mackay Skywatchers and Astronomers founder Graham Moyle said there was one space event he couldn't wait to enjoy.
Gilmour Space plans to launch its first rocket from Bowen in North Queensland later this year, and Mr Moyle wouldn't miss it for the world.
"It's going to be fantastic," he said.
