Home > Comet, Ephemeris Program, Observing > Ephemeris: 09/08/2023 – Comet Nishimura is getting brighter as it approaches the Sun, but also encountering brighter twilight

Ephemeris: 09/08/2023 – Comet Nishimura is getting brighter as it approaches the Sun, but also encountering brighter twilight

September 8, 2023

This is Ephemeris for Friday, September 8th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 53 minutes, setting at 8:06, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:14. The Moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 1:20 tomorrow morning.

Our comet Nishimura is the third comet discovered by Japanese amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura. Somehow the near earth asteroid detection programs missed it. I can understand why the Pan-STARRS and ATLAS search programs missed it, since they’re located on the Island of Maui, where those devastating wildfires are located. But they aren’t the only search programs. This weekend is the last chance to spot the comet. Nishimura will be rising before 5:30 am. The comet will be increasing its brightness to 4th magnitude this weekend. However, it will still be difficult to pick out without a pair of binoculars. The tail, if it has any, will be pointed just about straight up. After the 17th, its perihelion, it will be heading southward, and back out to the Oort Cloud, from where it came.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT –4 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Comet Nishimura Saturday, September 9th, 6 am

Nishimura Saturday, September 9th, 6 am
Comet Nishimura at 6 am Saturday, September 9, 2023. That’s about an hour 14 minutes before sunrise at my location. In relation to the stars, the comet is just outside the backwards question mark in the front of the constellation of Leo the lion, also known as the asterism (informal constellation) called the Sickle. Created using Stellarium.

Comet Nishimura Sunday, September 10th, 6 am

Comet Nishimura Sunday, September 10th, 6 am
Comet Nishimura at 6 am Sunday, September 10, 2023. That’s about an hour 15 minutes before sunrise at my location. In relation to the stars, the comet is within the constellation of Leo the lion. Created using Stellarium.

Comet Nishimura Monday, September 11th, 6:15 am

Comet Nishimura at 6:15 am. Monday, September 11, 2023. That’s about an hour 1 minute before sunrise at my location. Created using Stellarium.

After Monday, September 11th I feel that the comet will be too close to the Sun, or in too bright a twilight to spot for our latitude. Observers farther south should have better luck after perihelion on the 17th.

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