--- title: How You Could See a Comet This Week description: Comet 10P/Tempel 2 is set to be visible from Earth for the first time in years. Here's what to know about it. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/07/13/comet-10p-tempel-2-how-to-see/ author: Chantelle Lee article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-07-13T22:57:00.159Z article:modified_time: 2026-07-13T22:57:00.355Z article:section: Science og:title: How You Could See a Comet This Week og:description: Comet 10P/Tempel 2 is set to be visible from Earth for the first time in years. Here's what to know about it. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/07/13/comet-10p-tempel-2-how-to-see/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt98b7923cc6174808/6a55617738bf2116777fd825/Comet-Watch.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Comet-Watch.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How You Could See a Comet This Week twitter:description: Comet 10P/Tempel 2 is set to be visible from Earth for the first time in years. Here's what to know about it. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt98b7923cc6174808/6a55617738bf2116777fd825/Comet-Watch.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How You Could See a Comet This Week > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Future Proof: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Future Proof is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Making sense of the climate and energy economy. Future Proof examines the forces transforming energy and climate, and what those changes mean for business, technology, policy and the global economy. Senior correspondent Justin Worland goes beyond traditional climate coverage to connect the energy transition to the bigger decisions reshaping companies, markets and society. 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Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Jul 13, 2026 10:57 PM UTC  This stack composite photo taken with an intelligent astronomical telescope shows the comet C/2025 R3 in the sky over China's Yichun City on April 14, 2026. This stack composite photo taken with an intelligent astronomical telescope shows the comet C/2025 R3 in the sky over China's Yichun City on April 14, 2026. Li Jiaxing—Xinhua/Getty Images by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Jul 13, 2026 10:57 PM UTC If you’ve ever wanted to [see](https://time.com/archive/6705218/science-greeting-halleys-comet/) a [comet](https://time.com/7335579/nasa-interstellar-comet-what-to-know/), you could soon have a good opportunity. This week, Comet 10P/Tempel 2 is set to return to the inner solar system, making it visible from Earth for the first time in years. Here’s everything you need to know about how to spot it. ## What is Comet 10P/Tempel 2? A comet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun and is made up of frozen gases, rock, and dust, sometimes being [likened](https://research.arizona.edu/stories/what-is-a-comet) to a “dirty snowball.” “When frozen, they are the size of a small town,” according to [NASA’s website](https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/). “When a comet’s orbit brings it close to the Sun, it heats up and spews dust and gases into a giant glowing head larger than most planets. The dust and gases form a tail that stretches away from the Sun for millions of miles.” Comet 10P/Tempel 2, also known as “Tempel 2,” is a large comet with an estimated diameter of 10.6 kilometers, slightly smaller than the well-known Halley’s Comet. Tempel 2 completes its orbit around the Sun roughly every 5.5 years, meaning that we typically have the chance to see it at the same interval when that regular orbit brings it back into the part of the solar system where Earth is located. ## When can you see it? According to [NASA](https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/whats-up-july-2026-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/), one of the best times to see Tempel 2 will be around the New Moon on July 14, when moonlight likely won’t interfere with the view as much as it might on other nights. Astronomers [predict](https://starwalk.space/en/news/comet-10p-tempel-2#comet-10ptempel-2-in-2026-at-a-glance) that the comet will reach its peak brightness as it passes even closer to Earth in early August, though, so if you miss your shot at seeing it this week, don’t worry—there will be other nights to catch a glimpse of it before its orbit carries it away again, though it may be harder to spot if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. Some experts have [said](https://www.astronomy.com/observing/sky-this-month-june-2026/) that they expect that Tempel 2 will be “putting on its best showing since 1967,” so you’ll want to try getting a peak at this celestial phenomenon while you still can. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait another 5.5 years before you can get another shot at it! ## How can you watch it? Unlike some other passing celestial objects, Tempel 2 is not one that you can see with your naked eye alone; for this comet, you’ll need binoculars or a telescope, according to NASA. Your best chance to see it is to get out of the city and find a location that has a dark, clear view of the night sky and is far away from light pollution. Wait until the sky is completely dark before looking for the comet; NASA recommends about 45-60 minutes after sunset. “Through binoculars or a telescope, find the constellation Capricornus and look for a small fuzzy glow nearby, possibly with a brighter central knot and a short, broad, fan-shaped tail,” NASA advises on its website. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/07/13/comet-10p-tempel-2-how-to-see/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/07/13/comet-10p-tempel-2-how-to-see/"},"headline":"How You Could See a Comet This Week","datePublished":"2026-07-13T22:57:00.159Z","dateModified":"2026-07-13T22:57:00.355Z","description":"Comet 10P/Tempel 2 is set to be visible from Earth for the first time in years. 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