When to Catch the Massive , K2 Comet , Zooming Past Earth.
In May of 2017, the Hubble Space Telescope
first spotted the comet C/2017 K2
(PanSTARRS), otherwise known as "K2.".
According to NASA, this is the first
time the K2 comet has entered
the Inner Solar System. .
Astronomers believe that K2 originated
in the distant Oort cloud before making
the long journey to our solar system.
Initially, scientists estimated
that the comet had a radius
of almost 11 miles in diameter. .
Research from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope suggests the comet's nucleus has a radius between nine and 50 miles.
According to early estimates, K2's tail
of gasses and dust is somewhere between
81,000 and 500,000 miles across.
According to Lifehacker, the best chance to see
K2 will be the night of July 14, as the comet
makes its closest approach to Earth.
Despite the massive size
of the comet, observers are likely to need
at least a small telescope to spot it.
The Virtual Telescope Project
will also live-stream
the July 14 event.
For anyone who misses the event,
the comet should remain visible
with a telescope until September. .
Lifehacker reports that K2
will reach its closest distance to
the Sun in December of this year.