×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Tuesday
31
Mar 2026
weather symbol
Athens 15°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

A comet nearing Earth could be one of the largest we’ve ever seen

Five years ago the comet was journeying between Saturn & Uranus but as it slowly nears us amateur astronomers have their scopes trained on it

Newsroom July 1 11:43

Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) could be one of the largest we’ve ever spotted. Now, it’s drawing closer and closer to Earth, and is expected to be nearest to us on July 14.

At 172 miles from Earth and nearing, Comet K2 can already be seen through small telescopes. The best views should come around mid-July, when the comet reaches its nearest point to Earth, but you could still catch a glimpse of it well into September as it continues a run toward the sun in December, before orbiting away from Earth once more for millions of years.

First observed in 2017 by the Hawaiian-based Pan-STARRS survey instrument, it was the farthest-ever active inbound comet ever seen. At the time, NASA called it the most “primitive” as well, because it was spotted 1.5 billion miles from the sun. Five years ago, the comet was journeying between Saturn and Uranus, but as it slowly nears us, amateur astronomers in the Northern Hemisphere have their scopes trained on it.

See Also:

>Related articles

Multinational consortium for the Strait of Hormuz: what is included in the Trump proposal presented by Rubio to the G7

King Charles’ trip to the USA at the end of April

Plevris: There is concern because we have been informed about 1 million people moving to Lebanon because of the war

Turkey’s concerns about PKK are not legitimate

The magnitude and behavior of Comet K2 isn’t fully known. Some astronomers believe its nucleus to be at least 11 miles wide, but others suggest it could be as large as 18 to 100 miles in diameter. Even in a conservative measurement, it could be one of the larger comets we’ve seen. In 2017, images from the Hubble Space Telescope showed off the features of this fuzzy snowball of a comet.

Read more: Popular Mechanics

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#comet#earth#science#space#technology#world
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

UN: Cost of the war in the Middle East for Arab countries reaches $186 billion

March 31, 2026

Kimberly Guilfoyle is looking for a bodyguard: See the U.S. Embassy job posting for a security coordinator position

March 31, 2026

Case file for illegal animal breeding on a rooftop in Ampelokipoi: Goats, chickens, ducks in unsuitable living conditions, video and photos

March 31, 2026

Rain, thunderstorms and African dust on Wednesday: Maps showing the areas that will be affected by intense phenomena

March 31, 2026

Pezeshkian: “We are ready to end the war, but we want guarantees,” says Iran’s president (updated)

March 31, 2026

At Kifissia Cemetery, in a close circle and to the sounds of her favorite songs, the curtain fell for Marinella

March 31, 2026

Multinational consortium for the Strait of Hormuz: what is included in the Trump proposal presented by Rubio to the G7

March 31, 2026

The EU calls for readiness for a “potentially prolonged” disruption in the energy market – Necessary consumption reduction measures

March 31, 2026
All News

> Greece

Kimberly Guilfoyle is looking for a bodyguard: See the U.S. Embassy job posting for a security coordinator position

Applications are submitted via the U.S. Embassy’s careers page – What qualifications candidates must meet

March 31, 2026

Case file for illegal animal breeding on a rooftop in Ampelokipoi: Goats, chickens, ducks in unsuitable living conditions, video and photos

March 31, 2026

Rain, thunderstorms and African dust on Wednesday: Maps showing the areas that will be affected by intense phenomena

March 31, 2026

Over 400 victims of trafficking and exploitation found begging in Thessaloniki and Athens

March 31, 2026

Meteo warning for extreme weather phenomena – Between 18:00 and 21:00 on Wednesday the highest rainfall totals, see detailed maps

March 31, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα