What has a green head, a long white tail and is a half-mile wide?
Haven’t heard of it? That’s probably because it was only recently discovered last month by space photographer Hideo Nishimura of Japan. Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere will have their last chance to see Comet Nishimura on Tuesday as it passes close to Earth and slingshots around the Sun back into space, not to return for another 435 years.Comet Nishimura is currently visible throughout the Northern Hemisphere. But it will be the most visible on Tuesday, Sept.
The best time to see it will be about two hours before sunrise just above the horizon. Although the comet looks green in photos, to the naked eye it will look like a small streak and can be found to the lower left of Venus, which looks like a bright speck just above the eastern horizon.
After Sept. 13, Northern Hemisphere stargazers will no longer be able to see Nishimura as it swings closest to the Sun on Sept. 17,If Nishimura doesn’t disintegrate from its close encounter with the Sun, Southern Hemisphere observers should be able to see the comet by the end of the month during the evening.Comets like Nishimura have green heads, but the emerald hue doesn't extend to their tails.
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