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As reported by NASA’s official website, Thursday (5/7/2022), the asteroid C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) or K2 was first detected by the Hubble Space Telescope outside the solar system in 2017.
K2 was later considered the farthest active comet ever detected, although it was followed by a megacomet named Bernardinelli-Bernstein last year.
According to astronomers, K2 will make its closest trip to Earth on July 14 where it is about 270 million kilometers (km) from Earth.
Those without a telescope can view comets online through public observation sites such as the Virtual Telescope Project which are shown live. Screening of the video will begin at 10:15 p.m. (local time) on July 14.
After passing Earth this month, Comet K2 will continue its journey towards perihelion, which is its closest path to the Sun.
Scientists have been tracking K2 for several years, but there is debate about the size of the comet’s core.
Solar system ambassadors from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Eddie Irrizarry and Kelly Kizer Whitt said the comet’s width is estimated to be between 18 to 161 km.
Size comet tail is being debated by astronomers. The dust and gas trails behind K2 are estimated to be between 130,000 and 800,000 km
(wbs)
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