Comet Nishimura: Visible from Earth in September 2023

KOMPAS.com – Comet Nishimura, recently discovered by Hideo Nishimura from Japan, is expected to be visible from Earth in September 2023.

Research staff at the Bosscha Observatory, West Java, Agus Triono, revealed that this comet was only discovered in August 2023.

Looking at its orbit, according to Agus, Nishimura’s comet is predicted to be at its closest point to Earth on 12 September 2023.

“Later, at a distance of around 125 million kilometers,” he said, when contacted by Kompas.com, Friday (1/9/2023).

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Nishimura’s Comet can be seen

Comets are celestial bodies with tails that move freely in outer space. This object moves around the center of the solar system, the Sun, in an elliptical or oval orbit.

Occasionally, the circulation of a comet will pass next to Earth, so that it can be witnessed by humans for a certain time.

Agus explained that Nishimura’s comet does not pose a danger or threat to Earth.

In the middle of the coming month, September 12 2023 to be precise, this comet can also be seen by humans from Earth, including Indonesia.

Comet Nishimura is predicted to be in the constellation Leo with a magnitude of 4.6, bright enough to be observed with the naked eye.

However, this celestial body is not easy to see and can only be observed at a later time early morning before sunrise.

“As long as the sky is dark enough, minimal light pollution, and uses adequate instruments, such as good binoculars, a telescope, and knows the direction of the comet,” said Agus.

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Comet form Nishimura

Like most comets, Nishimura has a greenish core and a tail of gas or debut.

However, whether the parts of the comet are clear or not depends on the observing conditions, as well as how far Nishimura is from the Sun.

This is because, according to Agus, the closer a comet is to the Sun, the more difficult it will be to be seen from planet Earth.

When the Sun is still shining on Earth, its bright light will make comets difficult to see.

“It’s like trying to see fireflies around a lighthouse. The light of the fireflies is dazzling the light of the lighthouse,” he continued.

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Found only with a digital camera

According to the United States Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), comet Nishimura was discovered by amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura by accident.

Hideo Nishimura discovered this comet while photographing the night sky using a digital camera with 30 second exposures on August 11 and 12 2023 in Kakegawa, Japan.

Since then, the comet’s brilliance with the official name C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) has increased, and its path has even been mapped.

Quoted from Earthsky, on August 28, 2023, NASA made a new orbit calculation showing Nishimura’s comet orbiting the Sun every 520 years.

This proves that Nishimura is a local comet that is part of the solar system, not an interstellar comet.

Other observations also report that this comet will continue to get brighter and its tail will grow longer as it approaches the sun.

In late August and early September 2023, Nishimura is on a constellation tour, starting with Gemini and moving on to Cancer.

This celestial body will cross Leo in mid-September, and visit Virgo in the second half of September 2023.

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2023-09-01 11:00:00
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