Astrophotographers around the world have captured stunning images of Comet Nishimura as it made its way through the solar system.
The comet was discovered in August 2023 by amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura from Kakegawa, Japan using a Canon DSLR camera with a telephoto lens. Spotting a comet with a camera ready is quite an accomplishment, as most new comets are discovered these days using robotic telescopes such as the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, or Pan-STARRS, in Hawaii.
Over the past few weeks, comet hunters and astrophotographers around the world have been tracking Comet Nishimura’s progress, capturing some amazing images in the process.
Related: Will the newly discovered comet Nishimura be visible to the naked eye? Experts aren’t so sure
The next few weeks should be promising for observations of Comet Nishimura. The ball of ice and dust is approaching its closest point to Earth, which it will reach on September 12, before reaching what is known as perihelion, which is its closest point to the sun, on September 17. The constellation Leo in the early morning hours before sunrise.
To see the scene, look to the east during the predawn hours; A stargazing app might be the best option to help you locate the comet, while binoculars or a telescope will help you get a clear view of it. Through binoculars or small to medium-sized telescopes, expect to see a fuzzy green orb, but with more high-powered optics, you should be able to spot the comet’s tail.
Prominent comet hunter Michael Jäger of Austria Jäger has taken a slew of stunning images of Comet Nishimura throughout September so far. Earlier this month, Jäger discovered that the comet was losing its tail in what is known as a solar wind separation event.
Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura): What a strong solar wind. Disconnect event September 2nd – amazing evolution in animation 20min long (RASA 11 QHY600) and 4x80sec Red Michael Jagger pic.twitter.com/qf43YqhBblSeptember 2, 2023
A few days later, on Tuesday (September 5), Jäger photographed the comet after it had “regrown” its conspicuous tail.
C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) September 2023 5 Animated GIF 2.27 UT 35 min 16 inch/3.2 HyPA Moravian G3-16200 2x2bin Michael Jagger pic.twitter.com/RnOPSmKnzGSeptember 5, 2023
Nick Bull, aka Stonehenge Dronescapes, posted a photo of Comet X (formerly known as Twitter) in the skies over Stonehenge on Sept. 6, perfectly framed above the prehistoric stone monument.
Newly discovered comet P1 Nishimura above Stonehenge ☄️🌟✨ Photo from Stonehenge Dronescapes on Facebook 🙏 #comet #cometp1nishimura #stonehenge #astrophotography pic.twitter.com/CWXzEmJYtiSeptember 6, 2023
Amateur astronomer Stuart Atkinson captured these color images of Comet Nishimura on September 5, which show a clearly defined fork in the comet’s tail.
I ran the comet images I took this morning via the Deep Sky Stacker and they are fine, nothing special. I think the bright sky background/moonlight/slight opacity diluted the comet’s visibility. However, they do show a split tail so I’m happy with that. pic.twitter.com/4IQeEbgWZwSeptember 5, 2023
This image, taken by Lorenzo De Cola of L’Aquila, Italy, on September 7, provides a more stable depiction of what backyard skywatchers can expect to see with binoculars or small telescopes when observing Comet Nishimura.
Want to search for your own comet in the night sky or take a closer look at Comet Nishimura while it’s still visible? Check out our guide to the best binoculars that can help you find some nice wide-angle optics to capture larger areas of the sky.
Or, if you want to get a closer look at comets or something else, our guide to the best telescopes can help you find the equipment you need.
And if you’re looking to capture these celestial bodies or the night sky in general, check out our guide on how to photograph comets, as well as our best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s note: If you took a photo of Comet Nishimura and would like to share it with Space.com readers, send your photo(s), comments, name, and location to spacephotos@space.com.
