When to Catch the Massive K2 Comet Zooming Past Earth

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.

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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.

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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.

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Lifehacker reports that K2 will reach its closest distance to the Sun in December of this year.