Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos): View from Chile

Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos): View from Chile

Astrophotographer Alan Tough: "Captured remotely from Chile on February 7th at 10:03 p.m. local time."

C/2024 E1 (Wierzchoś) is a hyperbolic Oort cloud comet, discovered on March 3, 2024 by Polish astronomer Kacper Wierzchoś. It reached perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on January 20, 2026, with apparent magnitude of around +6.5, visible in larger binoculars. It has a highly eccentric orbit with an inbound orbital period of millions of years and an outbound orbit of around 200,000 years. Cometary emission activity for C/2024 E1 has been driven by carbon dioxide (CO2) outgassing. It crossed the celestial equator on November 17, 2025. As of February 15, 2026, the comet is about apparent magnitude 7.

Image Credit: Alan Tough
Release Date: Feb. 28, 2026

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