This is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the Moscow Planetarium.
Experts said that the comet will pass at the minimum distance from our planet on February 17. Its brightness will be about 8-9 magnitude. The comet will be located high above the horizon in the Southern Hemisphere.
In the Northern Hemisphere, conditions will be less favorable for observations of the comet. Comet Wierzcosa will appear an hour after sunset, low over the southwestern horizon, but it will be difficult to find it.
Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzcosa) was discovered on March 3, 2024 by Polish astronomer Kasper Wierzcosa. The diameter of the core is estimated at 2 – 10 km. It has an extremely elongated orbit. The period of its circulation is millions of years. Astronomers believe that it will eventually be ejected from the Solar system.
The comet passed at its closest point from the Sun on January 20, 2026. It approached the star by 85 million km. On February 17, it will pass at a distance of 1.0 AU (astronomical unit) from Earth. mir24.tv.
