2023-09-16 19:23:40
Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura), discovered in August 2023, will be at its minimum distance from the Sun and at its brightest on September 17. Its magnitude will be 2.8, meaning it will be brighter than one of the Big Dipper stars.
The C in the name means that the comet is non-periodic, meaning it passes through the Solar System only once or takes more than two centuries to complete one orbit around the Sun. “2023 P1” means that the comet was discovered in the first half of August 2023 (in the nomenclature of the International Astronomical Union, August corresponds to the letter P). “Nishimura” is the surname of the Japanese astronomer Hideo Nishimura, who discovered the comet, reports starwalk.space.
Astronomers recommend observing the comet several hours before dawn. Specialized applications for smartphones can help you find a space object.
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