When to Catch the Massive , K2 Comet , Zooming Past Earth.br In May of 2017, the Hubble Space Telescope br first spotted the comet C2017 K2 br (PanSTARRS), otherwise known as "K2.".br According to NASA, this is the first br time the K2 comet has entered br the Inner Solar System. .br Astronomers believe that K2 originated br in the distant Oort cloud before making br the long journey to our solar system.br Initially, scientists estimated br that the comet had a radius br of almost 11 miles in diameter. .br Research from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope suggests the comet's nucleus has a radius between nine and 50 miles.br According to early estimates, K2's tail br of gasses and dust is somewhere between br 81,000 and 500,000 miles across.br According to Lifehacker, the best chance to see br K2 will be the night of July 14, as the comet br makes its closest approach to Earth.br Despite the massive size br of the comet, observers are likely to need br at least a small telescope to spot it.br The Virtual Telescope Project br will also live-stream br the July 14 event.br For anyone who misses the event, br the comet should remain visible br with a telescope until September. .br Lifehacker reports that K2 br will reach its closest distance to br the Sun in December of this year.