Hideo Nishimura, from Kakegawa City, Japan, was photographing the night sky on August 11-12, 2023, when he discovered the new comet that now bears his name. Comet C/2023 P1 Nishimura is currently moving in front of the constellation Gemini, low in the dawn sky. The comet hid in the sun before Nishimura captured it in his photo. It will brighten as it approaches the Sun, bringing it within binocular range. But will the light be bright enough to see with your own eyes?
Although the comet is expected to be bright enough to see without optical assistance, at its brightest point it will be very close to the region of the sky where the Sun is. Therefore, it can be difficult to locate comets in sunlight or during the day. But during the last days of August and the first days of September, we still have a chance to try to see the celestial visitor with binoculars, small telescope or long exposure images, before he gets too close to the sun’s circumference. Of course, we can always expect an explosion when it is still far from the sun.
The current observed size is approx 9.2This means that people using a telescope in the dark sky can see it. final Notes The comet’s tail is eight minutes of arc long. The comet will continue to shine and grow its tail as it approaches the Sun. The comet will be brightest in September, when it is closest to the Sun and Earth.
Nishimura’s Comet is speeding towards the Sun
On August 15-16 2023, the comet will already pass Earth’s orbit as it approaches the Sun. Comet Nishimura is moving so fast that it will reach the orbit of Venus in just a few days… on August 27, 2023.
Sky lovers can observe the comet in small telescopes for the rest of August (see chart below). And you better try to see it now, because it probably wouldn’t survive being that close to the sun. This is due to its very close proximity to our star. Comet Nishimura will pass closer to the Sun than Mercury orbits. If Comet Nishimura survives into August, it will become a binocular object on the first morning of September. Then, observers with an unobstructed view of the east-northeast horizon can get a good binocular view of comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) around September 10, about 45 minutes before sunrise.
Will this new comet be bright enough to see with the naked eye in September? Possible! Photo (from 2020) via Howen/ Remove splash.
New comet trajectory
With this new comet, not many observations have been made, and its trajectory is still being determined. As of August 21, 2023, NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have performed new orbit calculations showing that Comet Nishimura orbits the Sun every 202 years, indicating that it is a “real” comet of our solar system, not an interstellar comet.
The closest approaches to Earth and the Sun have also been updated by 1 day each. Its closest approach to Earth will occur on September 12, 2023, when the comet passes within 78 million miles (125 million km) of Earth. Perihelion – or closest approach to the Sun – will occur on September 17, 2023, and will pass within 27 million miles (43.7 million kilometers) of our star.
Some details may be updated as new observations allow scientists to fine-tune the comet’s orbit.
Nishimura’s comet circles the zodiac. He will move from Gemini to the constellation Cancer in late August and early September. It will cross Leo in mid-September and then visit Virgo in the second half of September.
How bright is the comet?
It’s difficult to estimate the brightness of a comet because it can’t be predicted. Although Nishimura’s Comet is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, it can also collapse as it approaches the Sun. But here’s a rough estimate of how bright the comet will be on a given date and where it will be found.
Star Road The comet is expected to have a magnitude of 4.9 – within reach of the naked eye – on September 11. And on the morning of September 11, you can search for the comet before dawn. The first thing you’ll see in the eastern sky is a crescent moon, followed by the bright planet Venus nearby. The comet will be near the pair and near the star Adhavira (Zeta Leonis) in Leo’s crescent (backward question mark). Keep in mind that the bright sunlight coming from below the horizon will make it very difficult to detect anything in the sky.
The comet’s closest approach to Earth will be on September 12, when it will be 0.85 astronomical units. Around this time, the comet transitions from a morning body to a night body. On September 15, the comet is just 10 arc minutes from the second brightest star in the constellation Leo, Denebola. But the pair are also only 12 degrees from the sun, making it difficult to catch them after sunset before sunset.
Starwalk estimates the comet will have a magnitude of 3.2 at perihelion – when it is closest to the Sun – on September 17. Again, if the comet is bright and close to the Sun, it will be difficult to see because of its proximity to the Sun. And in the dome of our sky too.
Map of new comet C/2023 P1
Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) position on August 27, 2023, about 45 minutes before sunrise. Illustration by Eddie Irizary using bantangium. Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) position on September 3, 2023, about 45 minutes before sunrise. Illustration by Eddie Irizary using bantangium. Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) position on September 10, 2023, about 45 minutes before sunrise. Illustration by Eddie Irizary using bantangium.
Farewell to Comet Nishimura
As the comet moves away from the Sun, it decreases in brightness. In mid-October, it will be farther from the Sun in our sky (20 degrees) but darker. It will also occur in broad daylight or below the horizon most of the time. How long can you follow Nishimura after he drops out?
Bottom line: The new comet, called Nishimura, may be bright enough to see with the naked eye in September. Learn how to view it here.
2023-08-23 10:36:40
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