Comet Nishimura to be visible to Naked eye in ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ event | Oneindia News - video Dailymotion

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On Aug. 12, amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura discovered a new comet (his third such discovery) on its way toward the sun. It’s expected to make its closest approach there on Sept. 12. Not long afterward came the announcement that it might soon be visible to the Naked eye. Comet Nishimura can be viewed with the Naked eye this month in what is being deemed as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.     #CometNishimura #Nishimura #NishimuraComet #HideoNishimura #Comets                 ~PR.152~ED.155~HT.96~GR.124~

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00:00 On August 12, amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura discovered a new comet, his third such discovery

00:07 on its way towards the Sun.

00:09 It is expected to make its closest approach there on September 12.

00:13 Not long afterward came the announcement that it might soon be visible to the naked eye.

00:18 Comet Nishimura can be viewed with the naked eye this month in what is being deemed as

00:22 once in a lifetime experience.

00:25 On September 12, the comet will be passing close to our planet, but nothing to be worried

00:29 about.

00:30 It will be at an extremely safe distance of 125.4 million kilometers, that is almost 84%

00:37 of the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

00:40 The object, which is travelling through space at 240,000 miles per hour, is already visible

00:45 to the naked eye, according to Professor Brad Gibson, director of the E.A.

00:49 Milne Center for Astrophysics at the University of Hull.

00:54 Professor Gibson said that Nishimura can currently be seen in the hour after sunset and the hour

00:59 before dawn by looking east-northeast towards the crescent moon and Venus.

01:04 He said the comet takes 500 years to orbit the solar system, Earth takes one year, and

01:09 the outer planets can take many decades.

01:12 Halley's comet, which caused much interest during its last nearby visit to Earth in 1986,

01:18 takes 76 years to orbit the solar system.

01:21 So to say this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Nishimura isn't an exaggeration.

01:27 Professor Gibson noted that Nishimura will be 78 million miles from Earth on September

01:31 12, providing the best opportunity to view it without a telescope.

01:36 Such naked-eye comet sightings occur on average once a decade, making this event an exceptional

01:41 occurrence in astrophysics.

01:46 The comet Nishimura is named after Japanese astrophotographer Hideo Nishimura, who discovered

01:52 it while capturing long-exposure photographs on August 11, 2023.

01:57 It is said to make its closest approach to the sun on September 17, coming within 27

02:01 million miles of it.

02:02 There is a concern that it may not survive this close encounter.

02:06 Scientists are still estimating its size, which could range from a few hundred meters

02:10 to potentially a mile or two in diameter.

02:13 Additionally, it is believed that the comet may be linked to an annual meteor shower known

02:18 as the sigma hydrids occurring each December.

02:21 These comets are remnants of ice and rock from the early formation of the solar system

02:25 nearly 5 billion years ago.

02:27 As they approach the sun, the heat liberates icy gases, creating their distinctive tails.

02:32 These comets also release tiny particles of dust and rock when they pass near the sun,

02:36 and every year, Earth intersects this debris, leading to meteor showers.

02:41 According to Professor Gibson, there is no danger of Nishimura colliding with the Earth,

02:44 as astronomers have carefully charted its orbit and speed of travel.

02:48 There is a debate between the scientists over whether it was an asteroid or a comet which

02:53 caused the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

03:02 [MUSIC PLAYING]

Comet Nishimura to be visible to Naked eye in ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ event | Oneindia News

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