A newly discovered comet is swinging through our cosmic neighborhood for the first time in more than 400 years.
Stargazers across the Northern Hemisphere should catch a glimpse as soon as possible—either this week or early next—because it will be another 400 years before the wandering ice ball returns., which is kilometer-sized , will sweep safely past Earth on Sept. 12, passing within 78 million miles .
The comet will come closest to the sun—closer than Mercury is—on about Sept. 17 before departing the solar system. That's assuming it doesn't disintegrate when it buzzes the sun, though Chodas said"it's likely to survive its passage." Stargazers have been tracking the rare green comet ever since its discovery by an amateur Japanese astronomer in mid-August. The Nishimura comet now bears his name.
The comet last visited about 430 years ago, Chodas said. That's about a decade or two before Galileo invented the telescope.
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Across the Northern Hemisphere, now's the time to catch a new comet before it vanishes for 400 yearsA newly discovered comet is swinging through our cosmic neighborhood for the first time in more than 400 years.
Read more »
Across the Northern Hemisphere, now's the time to catch a new comet before it vanishes for 400 yearsA newly discovered comet is swinging through our cosmic neighborhood for the first time in more than 400 years
Read more »
Across the Northern Hemisphere, now's the time to catch a new comet before it vanishes for 400 yearsA newly discovered comet is swinging through our cosmic neighborhood for the first time in more than 400 years.
Read more »
Across the Northern Hemisphere, now's the time to catch a new comet before it vanishes for 400 yearsA newly discovered comet is swinging through our cosmic neighborhood for the first time in more than 400 years.
Read more »