The European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope has discovered its first previously unknown comet, designated C/2026 S1 (Euclid). One outlet reports the find is based on images taken between Sept. 16 and Sept. 24, 2026, while another notes the discovery comes as the telescope continues its science operations.
Euclid is primarily built to study the cosmos, observing billions of galaxies to measure how their light shifts over roughly 10 billion years of cosmic expansion. The mission aims to improve understanding of dark matter and dark energy. In this case, the comet detection is an unexpected added outcome of Euclid’s observing campaign, which is conducted far from Earth and at distances reported by outlets as about 810 million miles from Earth.
Across the coverage, the agreed points are that Euclid’s images contain the comet, that it is newly discovered, and that the object has been given the designation C/2026 S1 (Euclid).
