Comet Nishimura, a recently discovered celestial body thanks to a digital camera, is approaching and will be easily visible.
The Universe is full of immeasurable activity. Things are constantly happening out there. Some require special instruments for observation, while others do not. In this context, even though August still holds surprises, September already has its own calendar of astronomical events. In this regard, Comet Nishimura stands out as one of the major events of the coming month, especially because it will be visible to the naked eye.
This celestial object was recently discovered, observed on August 11 of this year. The discovery was made by Hideo Nishimura, a Japanese astronomer who used only a digital camera to detect the existence of the object.
Following the tradition of scientific eponymy, naming a discovery after the person who made it, the celestial body was designated as “Comet Nishimura.” For other types of records, it’s also referred to as “C/2023 P1.”
Currently, the comet is moving across the constellation of Gemini. However, based on estimations of its trajectory, it is expected to orbit around the Sun in early September and come within a distance of 125 million kilometers from Earth on September 12.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) warns that due to the unpredictable nature of comets, Nishimura is not exempt from disappointing those who are hopeful to see it. Nevertheless, the increase in its brightness as it approaches the Sun makes observing the object without any special instruments a strong possibility in early September.
It’s worth noting that one of the risks that could alter the predictions is the possibility that Comet Nishimura gets so close to the Sun, within Mercury’s orbit, that its nucleus could break apart.
TYT Newsroom
