On August 11, Japanese astronomer Hideo Nishimura discovered a bright object near the Sun. No one has ever seen it because the object was lost in the glow of our star. And exciting news, it turns out to be a brand new bright comet! Confirmed on August 15th Minor Planet Centre The discovery was made officially and the comet was named C/2023 P1 (Nishimura).
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What does Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) look like now?
The comet is currently in the constellation Gemini. It has a magnitude of 9.4 on the Richter scale and is gradually getting brighter. The growing comet’s tail is now about 8 inches long. C/2023 P1 can be seen a few hours before sunrise in an amateur 6-inch telescope.
What does the name C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) mean?
The comet’s name contains data about when and where it was first seen:
- the letter c refers to an aperiodic comet – comets of this type originate from the Oort cloud and can pass through the solar system only once or take 200 to thousands of years to orbit the sun;
- “2023 P1” means that the comet was discovered in 2023, in the first half of August (this corresponds to the letter P in IAU comet naming system and was the first thing to be discovered in the same period);
- “Nishimura” It means that the discovery was made by Hideo Nishimura, a Japanese astronomer.
How do you find C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) in the sky?
To find the comet easily, use a stargazing app, Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight:
- Tap on the magnifying glass on the home screen.
- Type “Nishimura” and choose the appropriate result. The application will show where the comet is located on the star map.
- Tap on the compass or point your device at the sky. The screen will fit the sky in real time.
- Follow the arrow to see the comet on the screen, then look in that direction in the sky to spot it!
Where can you find C/2023 P1 (Nishimura)?
This is the comet’s trajectory in the near future:
- 26 Aug: C/2023 P1 (mag 9.2) enters the constellation Cancer.
- Sept. 5: C/2023 P1 (mag 6.9) enters the constellation Leo.
- Sept. 7: C/2023 P1 (mag 6.3) passes 0°16′ from the star Elased Ras Australis (mag 3.0) in the constellation Leo.
- September 9th: C / 2023 P1 (mag 5.6) passes 0 ° 20 ‘of the star Adhafera (mag 3.4) in the constellation Leo.
- September 13th: C/2023 P1 (mag 4.3) reaches its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 0.29 AU in the constellation Leo.
- September 15th: C/2023 P1 (mag 3.7) passes 0°10′ from the star Denebola (mag 2.1) in the constellation Leo.
- September 16th: C/2023 P1 (mag 3.4) enters the constellation Virgo.
- September 18th: C/2023 P1 (mag 3.2) hit rock bottom in the constellation Virgo.
- Sept. 22: C/2023 P1 (mag 4.3) passes 1° 30′ from the star Purima (mag 2.7) in the constellation Virgo.
In the Sky Tonight And Star Walk 2 Apps, the comet’s orbit and brightness are constantly updated with the latest astronomical data, giving you a more accurate and up-to-date view.
When is the best time to see C/2023 P1 (Nishimura)?
Comet will rise September 11th It should reach a size of 4.9. This is bright enough to observe C/2023 P1 with the naked eye. Take your chance! The comet will be visible a few hours before sunrise in the constellation Leo. It will get brighter in the coming days as it reaches perihelion, but it will also get closer to the Sun in the sky, making it difficult to see.
C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) is at perihelion on September 18th
On September 18, C/2023 P1 will reach its closest point to the sun, called perihelion. It will be very close to our star, at a distance of about 0.9 AU from it. At that time, C/2023 P1 might be as bright as 3.2 degreesWhat with the naked eye. The comet will only be about 12 degrees from the Sun in the sky, so you won’t have much time to spot it. Spot C/2023 P1 at sunset in the constellation Virgo. People in the northern hemisphere have the best view. There is still a possibility that the comet will break up when it reaches its closest point to the Sun, so keep an eye out for that.
By mid-October, C/2023 P1 will become visible to telescopes again as it moves away from the Sun. Within months, by February 2024, another bright comet, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), will appear on the scene.
Conclusion
Newly discovered comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) may become visible to the naked eye in mid-September. Don’t miss your chance to see it! Download the stargazing app like Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight Which can actually help you find the comet in the sky right now.
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