Comet Nishimura will probably be closest to Earth on Tuesday.
Dan Bartlett, NASA
There’s still time for you to catch a glimpse of the newly discovered comet called Nishimura in California’s predawn skies.
The comet is green with a long white tail, according to the Planetary Society, and is making its way around the sun. It was closest to the earth early Tuesday morning.
Comet Nishimura was found by an amateur astronomer, named Hideo Nishimura, in Japan on Aug. 12. According to NASA, Nishimura caught the comet using 30-second exposures with a standard digital camera. Since its discovery, the comet has been getting brighter.
How to see it
As it gets closer to the sun, the comet’s glow will intensify, but there’s a catch.
“A problem is that the comet will also be angularly near the Sun, so it will only be possible to see it near sunset or sunrise,” NASA stated on its website.
It will be closest to the sun on Sunday, according to EarthSky.
The Planetary Society recommends using a telescope or binoculars to view the comet but people may also be able to see it with the naked eye when it gets brighter.
“Look for it low to the horizon in the predawn eastern sky, rising between the constellations Cancer and Leo and coming close to Venus,” the society stated. “As the days pass it will become brighter but also lower to the horizon.”
It added that those in the northern hemisphere may lose sight of Comet Nishimura after Wednesday.
Astronomy.com advises people to find a place that’s high up, such as a roof or a hilltop, and with a clear view of the eastern horizon without tall trees and buildings.
On Wednesday, stargazers can likely catch the comet in the east about 25 minutes before sunrise.
