New Comet C/2023 P1 NISHIMURA

[andrew63]

A new comet discovered on August 11th by Heiden Nishimura of Japan, could be bright in the next few weeks. Appears to be already 9th magnitude, one to watch!

https://skyandtelescope.org/online-gallery/comet-c-2023-p1-nishimura/

http://astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2023P1

[Pixies]

Saw this earlier.

These days, is it rare to have a human-discovered comet that comes in so quickly!

[Muc]

Amazing! There is nothing like the excitement of a potentially bright comet out of the blue (or is that black?)

[Nik271]

It will be brightest near perihelion in mid September, unfortunatley it will be very close to the Sun at that time. In early September 1 hour before sunrise seems to be the best time to observe it with naked eyes. Fingers crossed!

[Pete Presland]

Always nice to have a potential new comet, especially a naked eye one. Thanks for the heads-up and fingers crossed for brightening in the coming weeks.

[iwols]

Is this viewable at the moment?

[Paul M]

Here it is as displayed in HNSKY, between the yellow markers in Gemini, Low in the ENE at 4 am tomorrow. Doable, with a good sky and horizon.

It's just about 10 deg altitude from my location at that time.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Paul M

[andrew63]

It should be visible in a small telescope 3" to 4" and good 15x70 binoculars now. A excellent update in Astronomy Now with a recent photo, which looks promising. 

https://astronomynow.com/2023/08/18/new-comet-predicted-to-brighten-rapidly-as-it-sprints-sunwards/

[MalcolmP]

Thanks @andrew63 for the alert.

The north-east horizon view from southern England at 1 day intervals, starting Sunday morning 20Aug)

Oh dear! it is very low at 4am, less than 10deg above the horizon, rising slightly higher in following days.
I include at 5am in the hope that it is going to be a bright one in early Sep, and may be better in the bright 5am sky ?!

Track through Gemini into Cancer to early Sep. below.

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by MalcolmP