Photo by Neale LaSalle
A newly-discovered comet is heading towards earth for the first time in many centuries. The comet was discovered by amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura in August 2023 using an off-the-shelf camera, which is impressive on its own. New discoveries like this are always a treat for the scientific community, as they have been voraciously recording the comet’s movement since its initial discovery.
Astronomy enthusiasts should take the opportunity to view this spectacle as quickly as possible, as it won’t be back for about 400 years. The comet will safely make its closest approach to earth on September 12th, where it can be viewed during early hours at less than 10 or so degrees above the horizon near the constellation Leo. It will make its closest approach to the sun on September 17th. Get your telescopes ready!
Sources:
Bartels, Meghan. “Watch a Comet’s Tail Get Mangled by the Sun.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 7 Sept. 2023, www.scientificamerican.com/article/watch-a-comets-tail-get-mangled-by-the-sun/.
Dunn, Marcia. “Across the Northern Hemisphere, Now’s the Time to Catch a New Comet before It Vanishes for 400 Years.” AP News, AP News, 7 Sept. 2023, apnews.com/article/comet-northern-hemisphere-nishimura-200f8cc81140387177b3436c4c3a7663.
Tingley, Brett. “Newfound Comet Nishimura Got Its Tail Blown off by a Solar Storm. It Grew Back and Still Looks Gorgeous (Photos).” Space.Com, Space, 7 Sept. 2023, www.space.com/new-comet-nishimura-photos-september-2023.
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