Comet Nishimura: A Rare Sight in the Northern Hemisphere
Comet Nishimura, also known as C/2023 P1, is currently making its way through the northern hemisphere skies, offering sky gazers a chance to witness its spectacular green tail. Discovered just a month ago by amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura, this comet is a rare sighting as usually, we have more time to prepare for the visibility of comets.
Observers in the northern hemisphere can catch a glimpse of Comet Nishimura in the mornings before sunrise until September 17th when it will pass closest to the sun. After this date, the comet might still be visible from the southern hemisphere. However, it will become more challenging to spot as it moves away from the sun.
To spot Comet Nishimura, one should look towards the north-east around an hour before sunrise. The comet will be low in the sky, situated in the constellation Leo. It is recommended to use a stargazing app to accurately pinpoint its location from your specific area. If the comet is not visible to the naked eye, binoculars can be used to observe the shape of its tail. “The predictions are that it may just make naked eye visibility but would be better seen with binoculars,” says Don Pollacco from the University of Warwick. However, the visibility of comets can be unpredictable, so it is worth giving it a try.
The green glow of Comet Nishimura is caused by diatomic carbon, a relatively rare kind of carbon gas present in the coma that surrounds the nucleus of the comet. Comets are composed of ice and rock and originate from the Oort cloud, a region in the outer solar system. As they approach the sun, the ice on comets turns into gas, which creates the distinctive tail visible from Earth.
While comets visible to the naked eye are not exceedingly rare, Comet Nishimura’s orbit takes approximately 437 years to complete, making its next appearance in our skies only in the year 2423.
So seize the opportunity to spot this rare celestial phenomenon before it disappears from view. Just remember to set your alarms early and keep your eyes peeled towards the north-eastern sky for the chance to witness the stunning Comet Nishimura.