Hideo Nishimura of Kakegawa City was photographing the night sky on August 11 and 12, 2023, when he spotted the new comet now named after him. C/2023 P1 Nishimura is currently moving in front of Gemini, low in the morning sky. The comet was hidden in the sun’s glare until Nishimura captured the image. It continues to brighten as it approaches the Sun and comes within the eye’s range. But will it be bright enough to be seen by the eye alone?
Predictably, the comet may be bright enough to be seen without optical aid, but at its brightest, the comet will be very close to the region of the sky where the Sun is. Therefore, it will probably be difficult to spot comets against the glare of the Sun or sunlight. But on the last days of August and early September, use binoculars, spyglass, or long-exposure photography to spot celestial visitors before they get too close to the Sun. There is still an opportunity to And, of course, you can always expect an explosion while still far from the Sun.
The currently observed magnitude is about 9.2That means someone using a telescope in a dark sky can spot it.other observation The comet’s tail is reported to be 8 arcmin long. Comets should brighten as they get closer to the Sun, and their tails should grow. The comet is brightest in September when it is closest to the Sun and Earth.
Comet Nishimura is running toward the Sun
By August 15-16, 2023, the comet had already passed Earth’s orbit and was approaching the Sun. Comet Nishimura is moving so fast that it will reach the orbit of Venus in just a few days…by August 27, 2023.
Sky enthusiasts can observe the comet with a small telescope during the remaining days of August (see image below). It’s best to try to see it now, as it may not survive a transit near the Sun. This is because it passes a path very close to our star. Comet Nishimura will pass closer to the Sun than the orbit of Mercury. If Comet Nishimura survives until August, it should become a binocular object on the first morning of September. In that case, an unobstructed observer to the east-northeast horizon might get a good binocular observation of Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) around September 10, about 45 minutes before sunrise. .
Path of new comet
As a comet so young, it has not been observed much and its path has not yet been defined. As of August 21, 2023, NASA/JPL has made new orbital calculations showing Comet Nishimura orbits the Sun every 202 years, indicating that the comet is not an interstellar comet. rather than a “local” comet in the solar system.
The closest approach to the earth and the sun is also updated by one day each. The closest approach to Earth will occur on September 12, 2023, when the comet will pass her 78 million miles (125 million km) from Earth. Perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun, occurs on September 17, 2023, when he passes 27 million miles (43.7 million km) from our star.
Some details may be updated as new observations allow scientists to further refine the comet’s trajectory.
Comet Nishimura is circling the ecliptic constellations. From late August to early September, it moves from Gemini to Cancer. It transits Leo in mid-September and visits Virgo in late September.
How bright do comets get?
Comet brightness is so unpredictable that it is always difficult to estimate its brightness. Comet Nishimura may be bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, but it could also break up as it approaches the Sun. However, here’s an approximate brightness for a given date and where that comet can be found.
star walk estimate the magnitude of the comet on September 11 to be 4.9 within the naked eye. You can look for the comet before dawn on the morning of September 11th. The crescent moon is the first to be noticed in the eastern sky, followed by nearby bright Venus. The comet is close to this pair, approaching the sickle (reverse question mark) star Adafera (Zeta Leonis) in Leo. Note that it will be very difficult to spot anything in the sky as the bright sun shines in from below the horizon.
The comet’s closest approach to Earth is on September 12, at a distance of 0.85 AU. Around this time, the comet shifts from the morning object to the evening object. On September 15th, the comet will approach Leo’s second brightest star, Denebola, just 10 arc minutes away. However, this pair is only 12 degrees from the sun, making it difficult to catch after sunset before it sets.
StarWalk estimates the comet’s magnitude to be 3.2 at perihelion on September 17 (when the comet is closest to the Sun). Again, when the comet is bright and close to the Sun, it will be closer to the Sun, making it harder to see. Even in our sky dome.
Map of New Comet C/2023 P1
Farewell to Comet Nishimura
As the comet moves away from the Sun, it becomes less bright. By mid-October, the sky is farther from the sun (20 degrees), but darker. Also, most of the time it is in the middle of the day or below the horizon. How far can you chase the exiting Nishimura?
Conclusion: A new comet named Nishimura may be bright enough to be visible to the naked eye in September. See here for how to check.