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Compass Image for Comet C/2017 K2
About the Object
- R.A. PositionR.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.17 31 52.239
- Dec. PositionDec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.+64 35 39.52
- DistanceDistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.15.82AU at the time of observation
- DimensionsDimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.The image is about 40 arcseconds across, about 16.3 million miles (26.3 million kilometers) at the distance of the comet.
About the Data
- Data DescriptionData DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.Data were provided by the HST proposals 14939 (D. Jewett, P.I.). - InstrumentInstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.WFC3/UVIS
- Exposure DatesExposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.June 27, 2017
- FiltersFiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.F350LP
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.C/2017 K2
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Primordial comet
- Release DateSeptember 28, 2017
- Science ReleaseNASA’s Hubble Observes the Farthest Active Inbound Comet Yet Seen
- Credit
These images represent several exposures acquired by the WFC3/UVIS instrument through the F350LP filter on the Hubble Space Telescope. Color has been applied to the grayscale (black&white) images; the brightness maps to different color values.
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Details
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
