If you haven’t seen the Green Comet already, it’s time to keep your eyes on the clock.

February 11 is your last best chance to catch the sphere-shaped spectacle in Australia, from sunset to 1am the next day.

Also known as Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), its debut in the night sky was discovered by astronomers in early 2022, using a wide-field survey camera at an observatory in California.

But on February 2, it caught the attention of astrophotographers and space enthusiasts alike.

Because that was when the comet was closest to Earth – about 41.8 million kilometres away – in a very long time.

Although it’s not uncommon for comets to make rare appearances in the sky due to the size of their orbits, the green comet was last seen roughly 50,000 years ago.

The sheer distance means the comet, despite measuring one-kilometre wide, might only be slightly visible to the naked eye.

Light pollution also affects visibility so its natural green glow can only be picked up by astrophotography.

That’s why star-searchers have joined the chase to capture the phenomenon – jumping on the opportunity to put their cool gadgets to use and flex their sky imaging skills.

Here are some impressive takes from all around the world, starting with…

Australia

A stunning sight of the green comet seemingly headed towards Mars surrounded by a blanket of stars caught just outside of Ballarat, Victoria.

The United Kingdom

This London-based photographer was lucky enough to capture a “faint hint” of the comet’s tail as even the brightness of the moon can impact the quality of imagery.

India

The comet stands out against a backdrop of light strokes in the night sky, captured using a DSLR camera.

Germany 

The green glow coats a white globe as it emits a light orange tint on the other side, shining on to the neighbouring stars.

Colombia

A refreshing view of the green comet, floating high above the mountains, shot from Mount Tusa.

France

A trail of dust left behind by the comet on its travels, also known as the comet’s tail, beautifully captured in this photo taken at 5am in -5 degrees Celcius.

The United States 

The comet and its hues of green is on full display when at its brightest and closest to Earth.

The comet’s notable streak appears when long exposure is done using a camera where the shutter speed is dragged out.

Why do photos of the green comet all look so different?

UQ astrophysicist Ben Pope says, “Nearly everything in astronomy is basically white to the naked eye except, like, red giant stars and Mars appears a little red, Jupiter is quite noticeably yellow”.

So the colours seen in photos are a result of staging, imaging and editing. 

Whether they are true to the real deal, it’s all up to interpretation. 

US photographer Andrew McCarthy revealed a raw black-and-white image of the comet in contrast to his processed photo, addressing the controversy in astrophotography.

Another US photographer was not shy to detail the extent of their process in transforming the raw image to the end product, sharing the tools used and the time taken. 

So for those feeling inspired, it’s not too late to whip out your gear and shoot your best shot.