On August 11, Japanese amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura discovered a bright object near the sun. No one has ever seen it because it is lost in the light of our star. The interesting news is that this comet is the new bright comet! On August 15, this was confirmed Minor Planet Center He officially made the discovery and gave the comet a name C/2023 P1 (Nishimura).
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What does Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) look like now?
The comet is currently in the constellation Gemini. Its magnitude is 8.3 and it is gradually getting brighter. The growing comet’s tail is now about 8 inches long. Hours before sunrise, C/2023 P1 can be seen with 40-50mm binoculars or small telescopes.
What does the name C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) mean?
The comet’s name contains data on when and where it was first seen:
That letter c Refers to aperiodic comets – comets of this type originate in the Oort Cloud and may pass through the Solar System only once or take from 200 to thousands of years to orbit the Sun;
“2023B1” This means that the comet was discovered in 2023, in the first half of August (according to the letter P on The IAU comet naming system It is the first object discovered in the same period);
“Nishimura” This means that the discovery was made by Hideo Nishimura, an astronomer from Japan.
How did you find C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) in the sky?
To easily find comets, use a stargazing app. 2 star walk or the sky tonight:
Tap the magnifying glass on the home screen. Type in “Nishimura” and select the appropriate result. This application will show the location of the comet on the star map. Tap the compass or point your device at the sky. The screen will match your sky in real time. Follow the arrows to see the comet on the screen, then look up in the sky to find it!
Where can you find C/2023 P1 (Nishimura)?
And here’s the comet’s trajectory in the near future:
August 26th: C/2023 P1 (mag 7.7) enters the constellation Cancer.
5 September: C/2023 P1 (mag 5.1) enters the constellation Leo.
7 SeptemberC/2023 P1 (mag 4.5) passes 0°16′ from the star Ras Elased Australis (mag 3.0) in the constellation Leo.
9 SeptemberC/2023 P1 (mag 3.8) passes 0°20′ from the star Adhafera (mag 1.7) in the constellation Leo.
12 September: C/2023 P1 (mag 2.7) is closest to Earth at 0.29 AU in the constellation Leo.
15 September: C/2023 P1 (mag 1.8) passes 0°10′ from the star Denebola (mag 2.1) in the constellation Leo; He enters the constellation Virgo.
17 September: C/2023 P1 (mag 1.7) hit rock bottom in the constellation Virgo.
22 SeptemberC/2023 P1 (mag 3.4) passes 1°30′ from the star Purima (mag 2.7) in the constellation Virgo.
In the sky tonight And 2 star walk Through this application, the orbit and brightness of the comet is continuously updated with the latest astronomical data, thus giving you a more accurate and up-to-date picture.
When is the best time to view C/2023 P1 (Nishimura)?
The comet will rise 7 September It should reach a strength of 4.5. It’s bright enough to see C/2023 P1 with the naked eye. Take your chance! The comet will be visible a few hours before sunrise in the constellation Leo. It will get brighter in the coming days as it reaches perihelion, but it will also get closer to the Sun in the sky, making it even more difficult to see.
C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) at perihelion on September 17
On September 17, C/2023 P1 will reach its closest point to the Sun, which is called perihelion. It will be very close to our star, at a distance of about 0.9 AU. By then, C/2023 P1 will probably be just as bright Size 1.7What visible to the naked eye. The comet will only be about 12 degrees from the Sun in the sky, so you won’t have much time to observe it. C/2023 P1 at sunset in the constellation Virgo. People in the Northern Hemisphere enjoy the best views. There’s still a chance the comet will disintegrate when it reaches its closest point to the Sun, so keep an eye on it.
In mid-October, C/2023 P1 will again be visible to telescopes as it moves away from the Sun. In a matter of months, in February 2024, another bright comet, C/2023 A3 (Tuchinshan-ATLAS), will appear at the site.
Conclusion
The recently discovered Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) will probably be visible to the naked eye in mid-September. On September 17, the comet will be a magnitude 1.7 brighter when it reaches perihelion (closest point to the Sun). However, due to its proximity to the Sun, observations at that time may have been difficult.
It’s best to start looking for the comet earlier, starting on September 7th. At that time, the comet will be visible to the naked eye for several hours before sunrise. Don’t miss your chance! Use a stargazing app 2 star walk or the sky tonight To easily find comets in the sky.
Have clear skies and good luck hunting comets!
2023-08-23 16:10:49
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