How (and when) to see a large K2 comet pass through Earth

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What is K2?

Comet C / 2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) (abbreviated as “K2”) was first discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope in May 2017, five years ago. NASA Report.. The agency shared an image of a comet taken on June 20, 2022, near the open cluster IC 4665, near the bright star Beta Ophiuchi at the edge of the Milky Way starry sky. ..

This is the first time Comet K2 has reached the inner solar system from the dim solar system. Far ort cloud, NASA explains. The first observation in May 2017 was The farthest active inbound comet Discovered so far — about 2.4 billion kilometers from the sun Orbital distance Of Uranus and Saturn.

How big is K2?

When Comet K2 first became visible on the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists estimated it to have a core about 11 miles in diameter.However, according to research from Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, The radius of the comet’s nucleus is estimated to be 9-50 miles. Either way, it’s pretty big.

And it does not count the size of the K2’s tail (traces of gas and dust behind the comet), also known as the “coma”.According to early estimates, the K2’s tail is Anywhere from 81,000 to 500,000 miles Across. From one point of view, it is somewhere between Jupiter’s widths of 1-6.

When will K2 be displayed?

Comet K2 is most likely to be seen on the night of July 14, when it is closest to Earth.It’s huge, but you’ll probably need it At least a small telescope To find a comet. Look for a blurred patch (tail) of light.

If you want to see a comet pass through the earth from the comfort of your own home, Virtual telescope project Livestreaming will begin at 6:15 pm on July 14th. But if you miss K2 on the 14th, don’t worry too much. See with a telescope until September..

The closest to the sun is December.