Comet K2 approaches Earth July 13 and 14: Where to look
Grab your binoculars: A comet that has fascinated scientists for five years is approaching its closest approach from Earth this week — and you might catch a glimpse of it. It is possible to see comet C/2017 K2 PANSTARRS, also called K2, on Wednesday or Thursday as it passes through the last solar system, said David Jewitt, professor of Earth, planetary and space sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles. But not with the naked eye: experts say one would need at least a small telescope or binoculars to see it. At about 170 million miles from Earth, Jewitt warned stargazers that comet K2 would still be quite far away. For reference, the sun is about 93 million miles away, he said. “That’s very far away,” Jewitt, who has studied comets since 2017, told USA TODAY. Here’s what to know about K2 and how you can look at it. When was K2 first discovered? Comet C/2017 K2 PANSTARRS caught the attention of experts at the Hawaii-based Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response S