Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) Leaves Astronomers Confused as Space Rock Heads to Sun After Visiting Earth

As Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) approaches its closest approach to the sun in December may become brighter during the summer. However, this space rock puzzled scientists after its most recent pass by.

This comet, which originated in the outer solar system's Oort Cloud, has drawn attention recently as it nears the conclusion of its nearly 3 million-year trip towards the sun, according to Newsweek.

In fact, NASA used the Hubble Space Telescope to take a picture of it in 2017, when it was 1.5 billion miles from the sun and outside Saturn's orbit. It grew to be the furthest-moving active comet ever witnessed.

(Photo : C messier via Wikimedia Commons)
Messier 81 group with comet C/2017 T2, visible to the right, on May 22, 2020. The photo is created by the stacking of 42 60s ISO 800 exposures in DeepSkyStacker. The comet appears slightly elongated due to its apparent motion against the deep sky objects

Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) Seen On Several Astronomers' Backyard

The comet C/2017 K2 visited Earth's closest point on Wednesday and Thursday. Backyard astronomers were still able to take a peek.

Dave Eagle, from the United Kingdom, tweeted a picture of the comet visible to the top right of the Messier 10 star cluster, as posted above.

However, some observers reported having trouble locating the comet precisely or getting a clear picture.

Twitter user HyenaDae pointed out that moonlight made it more challenging to take good photos and that heavy humidity caused a cloudy lens.

Despite glare from the moon and city lights, Twitter user @yolkregion was able to take the image below.

"Pointing south over the Toronto glare with a full moon rising was not ideal, but had to try!" the netizen tweeted.

Comet K2 Heading Towards Sun

K2 is now traveling towards the sun and will reach its perihelion - or closest point to the star it orbits - in December, Space.com reported. The comet is visible with powerful amateur telescopes, and may become brighter as it gets closer to the sun and comes into the binocular distance.

The comet has become brighter as it approaches the inner solar system. It will reach perihelion on Dec. 19. People can only hope that the comet will become a bit brighter in the upcoming weeks so that more people can view it in person. The images being sent in from more giant observatories.

When K2 reaches its closest approach to the sun, it will be about twice as far away from the star as Earth is, or 1.8 astronomical units, during perihelion.

ALSO READ: Comet K2 Is Heading Towards Earth This Week, NASA Says

Space Rock Confuses Astronomers

Astronomers were puzzled by Comet K2, the furthest active comet ever discovered.

The comet K2 reportedly showed traces of this behavior as it passed through Neptune. When the comet was in a part of the solar system where solar rays were too weak to melt the comet's ice, the comet began to grow a halo.

They resemble time capsules and comets. They include elements and substances created during the Solar System's development. Thus, comet research is crucial for scientists.

"It's kind of like being able to touch something from the beginning of the solar system," David Jewitt, an astronomer at the University of California, Los Angeles, told Space.com (via WIONews). "It's probably the most primitive thing in the inner solar system at this time."

Data from the Hubble Space Telescope revealed that K2's nucleus might only be 11 miles (18 km) broad, compared to the 18 to 100 miles (30 to 160 km) estimated by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT).

RELATED ARTICLE: Comet Twice the Size Of Mount Everest Making a Safe Flyby to Earth Thursday: Watch Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) Using a Telescope

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