Get your telescope ready: Comet PanSTARRS is about to fly by Earth
Summer stargazers are about to be treated with views of an ancient celestial object as a large comet makes its closest approach to the Earth around the middle of the month.
Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) has been slowly tumbling toward the sun from the far reaches of the solar system for millions of years, although it was just discovered by astronomers five years ago. The long journey will reach its climax this year as it makes its closest approach to the Earth on July 14, followed by an encounter with the sun on Dec. 19, 2022, according to EarthSky.
However, close is a relative term. Comet PanSTARRS will be around 168 million miles away from Earth at its closest approach, which is nearly two times as far away as the sun. Despite this vast distance from the planet, the comet's unusual size will allow it to be spotted with the help of binoculars or a telescope.
At 11 miles in diameter, it is the second-largest comet ever discovered, only behind Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein, which is estimated to be at least 60 miles across.
Some astrophotographers have already captured images of the distant space rock in the weeks leading up to its closest approach to Earth.
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Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) photographed with the help of a telescope on July 1, 2022. (Chuck Ayoub) |
Skywatchers hoping for a repeat of Comet NEOWISE, which was visible to the naked eye in July of 2020, should curb expectations as this summer's comet will not be as prominent in the night sky.
With the help of a telescope, Comet PanSTARRS will look like a fuzzy green star, and its tail may only be seen through long-exposure photography.
However, the object will still be worth a look as comets do not visit the inner solar system with regularity. Sometimes years can pass between comets, such as the two-year gap between Comet NEOWISE and Comet PanSTARRS.
To see Comet PanSTARRS, observers will need a cloud-free sky and a good view of the southern sky. Around the middle of July, it will be visible above the constellation Scorpio, which rises shortly after nightfall in the Northern Hemisphere.
On July 14, when it makes its closest approach to the Earth, the comet will be situated almost directly between the moon and the bright star Arcturus. These two easy-to-find objects will serve as reference points for tracking down the comet among a sea of stars.
Comet PanSTARRS will remain visible in the southern sky throughout the rest of the summer, but it will slowly drift down toward the top of Scorpio.
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Image not to scale. Comet C/2017 K2 PanSTARRS will not appear as large as it does in the image above. (AccuWeather). |
After Comet PanSTARRS fades away as it continues its trajectory away from Earth, another opportunity to see a comet will arise shortly after the calendar flips to 2023.
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is projected to be visible in the sky in January 2023, according to EarthSky, although once again, a telescope may be required to see it.
However, while the orbit of space rocks can be determined with precision, it is difficult to predict how bright comets will become as they get closer and closer to the sun. This means that there is a chance for Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) to outperform expectations and become bright enough to see with the naked eye at the start of the new year, but only time will tell.
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