JACKSON, Wyo. — A comet has been passing by Earth for the first time in over 400 years and the window to view it is closing; it will come closest to Earth, Sept. 12.
According to a NASA article, comet Nishimura was discovered on Aug. 12 by Hideo Nishimura during 30-second exposures with a standard digital camera. The comet’s formal name is “C/2023 P1 Nishimura.”
It’s been observed near the east-northeastern horizon for the past week, according to reporting by the Associated Press. It will come within 78 million miles of Earth on Sept. 12 and will travel closer to the sun than Mercury, on Sept. 17.
“The comet will get so close to the Sun —inside the orbit of planet Mercury — that its nucleus may break up,” NASA says.
The comet appears faint to the naked eye, but long-exposure photography has been capturing the comet’s long tail. The comet is reportedly best viewed near sunrise and sunset.
If you’ve captured images of comet Nishimura and would like to share them with the community, send photos to tips@buckrail.com to be featured in an upcoming Buckrail SNAPPED.
