The best way to observe Comet Nishimura, which will shine particularly bright in the sky this weekend

Discovered just a few weeks ago, Comet Nishimura will approach the Sun, causing it to shine, leaving behind a shower of dust. An offer not to be missed.

Attention budding astronomers. Comet C/2023 P1, known as Comet Nishimura, in reference to the name of the Japanese amateur astronomer who discovered it, continues its journey towards the Sun. When comets approach our star, the ice in their cores blows away and releases a long trail of dust that reflects sunlight. A rare event to note.

Comet Nishimura will be closest to our star on September 17, at a distance of 33 million kilometers from it and 125 million kilometers from Earth.

This phenomenon, if it were indeed observable, would be particularly so Friday night, September 8th to Saturday, September 9th. The comet will indeed be brighter, especially in the northern hemisphere.

However, X astrophysicist Eric Lagadec, a former Twitter user, warns: “It will be very difficult for non-experts to see.”

Looking at the sky around 6 am before sunrise

If using a telescope is clearly more than recommended to observe the comet in the best possible conditions, you still need to know the timeline and ideal weather conditions to enjoy the view.

“The best is to look at the sky before sunrise (around 6 a.m. in France, editor’s note), toward the northeast to the left of Venus (known as the Patron Star), in a clear, pollution-free sky. Bright,” advises Nicolas Biver, a researcher. National Center for Scientific Research at the Paris Observatory – PSL.

A trace of green dust

Small binoculars will suffice To enjoy the show some can watch With the naked eye if weather conditions are suitable. For those with eagle eyes, the path of comet C/2023 P1 will be clear greenish in colourThis is due to its gaseous content, which is more than dust.

Its last pass near our star dates back 437 years. All the more reason not to miss it.