Comet Nishimura set to light up weekend skies

Recently discovered Comet Nishimura is set to make a rare appearance this weekend, providing an opportunity that comes around only once in every 437 years.

Discovered by Japanese amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura on Aug. 11, this comet is unique due to the short period between its discovery and its peak visibility. Nicolas Biver, an astrophysicist at the Paris Observatory, noted that most comets are identified much earlier, often months or years before their closest approach to the sun.

Comet Nishimura, with its scientific designation C/2023 P1, orbits the sun every 437 years, spending the majority of its time in the cold outer regions of the solar system. As comets like Nishimura get closer to the sun, their icy cores release dust and gas, forming a distinctive tail. This tail reflects sunlight, making the comet observable from Earth.

On Sep. 17, Comet Nishimura is projected to make its closest approach to the sun at a distance of 33 million kilometers, or about one-fourth the distance between Earth and the sun. After that, it will move past Earth at a safe distance of 125 million kilometers.

For those eager to witness this celestial event, the optimum viewing times are this upcoming Saturday and Sunday, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Nicolas Biver suggests looking northeast before sunrise, towards the left of Venus, in a clear, unpolluted sky. Although the use of small binoculars might enhance the experience, there’s a possibility that the comet will be visible to the naked eye under the right conditions.

The comet’s tail will have a greenish hue due to its higher gas content.