A newly discovered comet could be visible by the naked eye early next week in the Northern Hemisphere—but stargazers will need to be in the right place at the right time to see it just beyond the horizon.
This image provided by Gianluca Masi shows the comet C/2023 P1 Nishimura and its tail seen from ... [+]
Comet Nishimura was discovered near the sun last month by Hideo Nishimura, an amateur astronomer in Japan, and is now in the constellation Leo, which is barely visible in the early morning hours before sunrise.
Early risers in the Northern Hemisphere looking toward the northeastern horizon about 90 minutes before dawn could see the comet now, but it will become brighter and more visible early next week as it gets closer to Earth.
The wandering ball of ice, which is about a 1/2 mile across, will pass within 78 million miles of Earth on Sept. 12—the best day to catch a glimpse—and will be closest to the sun on Sept. 17 before it gets lost in the glare and no longer be visible.
Even in the next week, some have warned true “naked eye” visibility may be a stretch—experts recommend a “good pair of binoculars” to get a glimpse.
If the comet survives its passage by the sun—which could drastically reduce its brightness or cause it to disintegrate— it will emerge to be visible in the Southern Hemisphere by the end of September—those stargazers will need to keep an eye out just after sunset.
430 years. That's the last time this comet passed by Earth, Paul Chodas, manager of NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. told the Associated Press. That’s about 15 years before the invention of the telescope.
The comet isn't the only celestial object passing by Earth this week. NASA says five asteroids will fly by this week—three as large as planes—but none will threaten the planet. The closest asteroid, QC5, is expected to get within 2.53 million miles of Earth on Friday.
Where is Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura)? (SkyLive)
The Truth About Seeing New Comet Nishimura With Your Naked Eyes (Forbes)
Newfound Comet Nishimura Is Already Being Spotted, You Could Be Next (Forbes)