Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Ophiuchus (Oph)  ·  Contains:  Solar system body or event
Comet C/2017 K2 Observation, Tom Wildoner
Comet C/2017 K2 Observation
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Comet C/2017 K2 Observation

Comet C/2017 K2 Observation, Tom Wildoner
Comet C/2017 K2 Observation
Powered byPixInsight

Comet C/2017 K2 Observation

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Description

Here is a 56-minute stacked image of Comet C/2017 K2 as it cruises through the constellation Ophiuchus in our southern skies. Check out the HUGE coma (cometary atmosphere) on this comet! Measurements suggest that the coma is nearly as large as the planet Jupiter.

From EarthSky.org “Astronomers first spotted this comet in 2017 using the Pan-STARRS survey instrument in Hawaii. At the time, they said it was the farthest active inbound comet they’d yet seen. It was between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus when they first saw it. Now it’s in the inner solar system, with closest approach to Earth on July 14. The comet will be closest to the sun several months later, on December 19, 2022. With a small telescope, you should be able to spot the comet throughout the summer.

According to in-the-sky.org, the current visual magnitude is listed as 8.81.

Tech Specs: Meade 12” LX-90, Celestron CGEM-DX pier mounted, Antares Focal Reducer, ZWO ASI290MC, ASI071MC-Pro, ZWO AAPlus, ZWO EAF, ZWO OAG, 56 x 60 seconds at 5C plus darks and flats, processed using PixInsight and DSS. Image Date: July 19, 2022. Location: The Dark Side Observatory, Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

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Comet C/2017 K2 Observation, Tom Wildoner

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Solar System Imaging