Early SouthCoast Risers Will Enjoy Rare Blue Comet in the Sky This Week
If you love shooting stars and strange sights in the sky, keep your eyes up this week as a newly discovered comet passes by Earth.
There is only a few more days to view it before it disappears again for another 400 years.
Comet Nishimura
Comet Nishimura is named after Hideo Nishimura of Japan, the amateur astronomer who discovered the comet on Aug. 12th of this year. The Planetary Society explained that the comet likely came from the Oort Cloud, a distant region of the Solar System.
And this comet will offer a beautiful display of color.
"Comets like this have green heads, but this color doesn’t extend to their tails because the green color is caused by diatomic carbon, a highly reactive molecule that is created from the interaction between sunlight and organic matter on the comet’s head and then almost immediately destroyed again by the Sun’s energy before it can move far from the nucleus," explained The Society.
How to See Comet Nishimura
People in the Northern Hemisphere have a couple more days to wake up early and see the comet before it moves closer to the sun.
"Look to the east-southeast in the hour or so before dawn and find the Leo constellation; the comet will be making its way down the Lion's tail this week, but by Sept. 16th, will be rising along with the sun," said Space, a Future US Inc website.
The site recommends a stargazing app to pinpoint its exact location.
Find an unobstructed view of the horizon in order to see the comet. It will be lower each morning at the same time until it vanishes from view into the glare of the sun by September 16th.
Don't miss out. This only happens every 435 years.