Comet K2-C2017

Comet C2017 K2 & IC 4592 using the LRGB filter set. C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) is an Oort cloud comet with an inbound hyperbolic orbit, discovered in May 2017. Around 6 July 2022, the comet crossed the celestial equator, and then on 14 July 2022, it passed 270 million km from Earth and shone around 9.0 magnitude making it a decent binoculars object. It will reach perihelion on 19 December 2022, close to the orbit of Mars, IC 4592 (also known as the Blue Horsehead Nebula) is a reflection nebula in the Scorpius constellation that is lit by the star Nu Scorpii.

This is a unique image as it features the comet C2017 K2 passing through the reflection nebula IC 4592 on 19 August 2022.

Image aligned, integrated and colour mapped by Arc Fortnight, original data downloaded from Telescope.live