See beautiful comet as it nears its closest approach to Earth

Space

See beautiful comet as it nears its closest approach to Earth

Comet C/2024 E1 has been photographed as it nears Earth - but even at its closest, it will still be 150 million kilometres away

By New Scientist

11 February 2026

Comet C/2024 E1 Taken by Ian Griffin on February 5, 2026 @ Middlemarch, New Zealand Details: A lovely comet is gracing the southern sky. This evening I managed to get a set of 26x90 second exposures of it before moonlight interfered. The comet is sweeping through the southern constellation of Grus, which contains many beautiful galaxies. Photographer's website: https://www.instagram.com/portobellopictures/ — Ian Griffin

This beautiful streak of light is comet C/2024 E1 hurtling through the southern constellation Grus. It was first spotted in 2024 and is thought to have originated from the Oort cloud, a region of icy rocks at the edge of the solar system, far beyond Pluto. The comet will make its closest approach to Earth on 17 February – when it will still be almost 150 million kilometres away

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