SAN FRANCISCO — The fast-moving comet across the northern predawn sky is due to disappear by early Tuesday morning, but it’s best spotted at just a few hours.
The comet, discovered on August 12th by Japanese amateur Hideo Nishimura, will make its closest approach to Earth on September 12th. Then proceed toward the sun.
The star, which will reach perihelion on September 17, will never come closer than 78 million miles. Too far away rather than hard to find, but worth it for astronomy enthusiasts.
The best chance to see it is during the 90 minutes before sunrise on Monday morning.
The best sky map to find it on Monday morning is skyandtelescope.com or Astronomy.com.
But anyone interested enough to search for star charts will know they’re out of luck if they don’t venture out into the countryside under clear skies east-northeast before the colors of dawn begin to brighten the sky. I guess. .
However, you don’t have to stay away from the light. Generally, it is in the constellation Leo, only a few finger widths above the horizon.
Although it is not noticeable to the naked eye, binoculars can help you spot it. If you detect a greenish glow, it is a trace of carbon.
After orbiting the Sun, it will be visible from the Southern Hemisphere only later this month, unless a close encounter breaks it apart.
So if you’re a hardy soul, grab one while you can. If the skies are clear near the Bay Area, far from the city lights, by all means, don’t forget to invite us all.
Or wait for the next time it happens around 2458. What an interesting world will shine then!