C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) | Comet Nishimura | Comet naked eye 2023 | Comets visible in September |

On August 11, Mr. Hideo Nishimura, an amateur astronomer in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, discovered a bright object very close to the Sun. The object had never been seen before because it was hidden in the glare of the sun. The object turned out to be a brand new bright comet! On August 15, the Minor Planet Center officially confirmed the discovery and named the comet **C/2023 P1 (Nishimura)**.

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Appearance of Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1)

The comet is currently in Gemini. It is magnitude 10.8 and is brightening gradually. The comet’s tail extends to nearly 8′ in length. C/2023 P1 can be seen in amateur six-inch telescopes in the hours before dawn.

Meaning of the name of Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1)

Comet names contain data about when and where the comet was first seen:

• letter Cindicates an aperiodic comet. Comets of this type arise from the Oort Cloud and may pass through the Solar System only once or orbit the Sun over 200 to thousands of years;
• 2023 P1means that the comet was discovered in early August in 2023. This corresponds to the letter P in IAU comet nomenclature;
• Nishimura(Nishimura) means that it was discovered by Japanese astronomer Hideo Nishimura.

How to find Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1)

The easiest way to find comets is with the astronomy apps Star Walk 2 and Sky Tonight.

• Launch the app and tap the magnifying glass icon on the bottom left of the main screen.
• Enter “C/2023 P1” in the search field and tap the target button near the fitting results. The position of the comet is displayed.
• Tap the compass button or point your device at the sky. The on-screen image adjusts in real time to the current sky.
• Follow the arrows until you see a comet on the screen. You can find comets in the real sky in the direction indicated by the app.

Position of Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1)

Here are the paths of comets in the near future:

• August 26th: Comet Nishimura (magnitude 9.2) enters Cancer.
• September 5th: Comet Nishimura (magnitude 6.9) enters Leo.
• September 7: Comet Nishimura (magnitude 6.3) passes 0°16′ away from Las Erasedo Australis (magnitude 3.0) in Leo.
• September 9: Comet Nishimura (magnitude 5.6) passes 0°20′ from Adafera (magnitude 3.4) in Leo.
• September 15th: Comet Nishimura (magnitude 3.7) passes Denebola (magnitude 2.1) in Leo at a distance of 0°10′.
• September 16th: Comet Nishimura (3.4 magnitude) enters Virgo.
• September 18th: Comet Nishimura (3.2 magnitude) will reach perihelion** in Virgo.
• September 22nd: Comet Nishimura (magnitude 4.3) moves 1°30′ away from Polima in Virgo (magnitude 2.7).

When is the best time to see Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1)?

The comet will reach magnitude 4.9 on September 11th. This is bright enough to see C/2023 P1 with the naked eye. So here’s your chance! The comet is visible in the constellation Leo in the hours before dawn. It will brighten a few days after reaching the perihelion, but it will be difficult to spot as it will be closer to the Sun.

Perihelion of Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) on September 18

On September 18, C/2023 P1 will reach its point of closest approach to the Sun, called perihelion. It will be at a close distance of about 0.9 AU from the Sun. At this time, C/2023 P1 brightens up to 3.2 magnitude visible to the naked eye. The comet is only about 12 degrees away from the Sun, so we don’t have much time to observe it. Discover C/2023 P1 at sunset in Virgo. People in the northern hemisphere can see it best. The comet’s closest approach to the Sun remains the possibility of it breaking apart, so keep track.

In mid-October, C/2023 P1 will move away from the Sun and become visible with telescopes. A few months later, in February 2024, another bright comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) appears.

Conclusion

The newly discovered Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) may become visible to the naked eye in mid-September. Don’t miss your chance! You can find comets right now by downloading stargazing apps like Star Walk 2 and Sky Tonight.