Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) will make its closest approach to the Sun on December 19, 2022. A distantly active comet discovered in 2017, C/2017 K2 will not be visible to the naked eye, but long-term community-wide studies of this comet through its apparition will shed light on what drives distant cometary activity, how that activity shifts as the comet nears the Sun, and which primordial ices comprise a cometary nucleus that has been stored in the cold outer Solar System for millions of years. One of the unique properties of C/2017 K2 is that it was discovered in 2017 at distances beyond Saturn, where it was already shedding gas and dust. Most cometary activity is very minimal at these distances from the Sun because the comets are not yet warm enough for their ices to change into the gas phase. Additionally, many comets are known to have large concentrations of water and much less carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, which are activated at colder temperatures. Observations have shown that C/2017 K2’s activity is being driven at least in part by carbon monoxide at large distances and continuing studies will show how that behavior evolves as the comet gets closer to the Sun, water turns on, and then recedes again. New advanced telescopic assets like the James Webb Space Telescope, as well as many large and small telescopes around the world, have been and will continue to observe C/2017 K2 and contribute to the understanding of what makes this comet different than others. I will share recent results about C/2017 K2, putting it into context with the general comet population, and will describe some other temporal studies of comets as well as look to the future for comet missions.

Dr. Lori Feaga received her Bachelor of Science degree with High Honors in Astronomy from the University of Maryland in 1997. She then continued her education at the Johns Hopkins University where she successfully defended her doctoral thesis and received her Ph.D. in Astrophysics in 2005 studying the atmospheric composition and variability of Jupiter’s moon Io. Currently a Research Professor at the University of Maryland, Dr. Feaga is a planetary scientist focusing on the molecular composition and distribution of ice and gas surrounding small bodies in the Solar System (e.g., comets, asteroids, and Kuiper Belt objects) and how they relate to the protoplanetary disk from which the Earth formed. Her observing techniques include ultraviolet to infrared spectroscopy, visible imaging, and time-domain surveys. Dr. Feaga has extensive NASA mission experience, having held instrument, science, and outreach roles on the Deep Impact, EPOXI, Comet Hopper, and Rosetta missions, and intends to lead her own small satellite mission in the future. From an early age, Dr. Feaga received encouragement and support from her family to pursue a career in astronomy and enjoys sharing her own science, promoting science literacy, and inspiring others to enter the STEM fields.