When to see Comet Nishimura: it will pass again in 435 years

AND has just been discovered and soon it will already be possible to see it pass through our sky: it is the splendid one comet C/2023 P1 Nishimura That, it should be visible to the naked eye in skies free of light pollution around the 17th, but with binoculars or a small telescope, already this weekend it is possible that you will be able to admire it by pointing your instrument at the sky about 45 minutes before dawn.

Appointment in the sky with Comet Nishimura

Comet Nishimura takes its name from its discoverer, the Japanese amateur astronomer and astrophotographer Hideo Nishimura, who captured an image on the night between August 11th and 12th this year. In just one month she rapidly approached the Sun and the Earth and became increasingly visible, conquering astrophotographers who photographed her in all possible ways.

435 years to see it come back

Astronomers have discovered that it is a so-called long-period cometthat is, an object that takes a period longer than 200 years to complete a complete orbit around the Sun. Nishimura, in particular, seems to have a period of 435 years, the same amount of time it will take for it to be seen again.

That “tail” that has always fascinated

This incredible frozen object, starting from Christian history, has acquired its charm especially for its “tail”, which is nothing more than a long trail of dust that reflects the light, which is formed when it approaches the sun and the ice contained in their nucleus sublimates, that is, it passes from the solid state to the gaseous state, without passing through the liquid state . In the case of Nishimura’s comet, unlike other comets, its trail will be green because this celestial body has more gas than dust.

Just after sunset

Nishimura is certainly also worth looking up and, as mentioned, seeing it with the naked eye September 17th should be the best timeprovided that the comet survives its “close encounter” with the Sun. The UAI suggests trying to look for it immediately after sunset, turning your gaze towards the constellation Virgo.

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