Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS), simply known as Comet K2, made its closest approach to Earth on July 14. However, as it moved closer to the Sun, the comet set up to do something weird. Learn what.
Last week, Earth said goodbye to giant comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS), and as it passed by our planet, it began its next journey to make its closest approach to the Sun. But as it moves closer towards the Sun for its final closest approach in December 2022, something strange will happen to Comet K2. It is possible that the space rock will shine brighter as it approaches the Sun. And there’s a small chance it could shine so brightly that instead of using professional telescopes to observe it, it might become observable through binoculars only. But why would it shine brighter? Read to find out.
According to a report by Space.com, the warmer space environment as comet K2 moves toward the Sun will be the biggest contributing factor to its brighter shine. A comet is a giant mass of ice and rock that will begin to melt as it gets closer to the Sun. As it melts, the gases inside its core will begin to seep out, and these gases will burn to give the comet a brighter glow.
Comet K2 will show a brighter screen as it moves towards the Sun
The comet shows a tendency to remove its gaseous chromate. Scientists first recorded its halo glow when the comet was between Saturn and Uranus. This is very unusual given that so far in the solar system, temperatures have been so low that comets stay in a solid ice state and appear as a dead rock.
Since comet activity is always difficult to predict because we’ve never looked closely at a comet, it’s impossible to say with certainty that a comet will shine. But based on what we know about it and observational patterns of many other comets, a brighter shine is expected in the coming days. If everything goes as predicted, between now and December 2022, the comet will grow brighter and brighter until it shoots rubber across the Sun and moves in a random direction, or until when it breaks off due to heat and is destroyed.
