A comet is about to pass so close to Earth that it will be possible to see it without a telescope.
Comet Nishimura was discovered in August and will be visible in the sky on September 9 and 10.
Comets are basically balls of ice that orbit the Sun in large elliptical orbits.
As comets approach the Sun, their bodies heat up while the icy surface turns into gas and spreads out, making it possible to see them on Earth.
This comet was first observed by Japanese astronomer Hideo Nishimura on August 11.
The mass of this comet is not yet known, but it is rare for a comet to be discovered when it is close to Earth.
Usually such comets are discovered months or years in advance.
According to experts, this comet orbits the Sun only once in 437 years, which means we have to wait 5 centuries to see it again.
Nishimura will pass closest to the Sun on September 17 and will be at a distance of 33 million kilometers from the Sun.
Similarly, this comet will pass at a distance of 12.5 million km from Earth.
It will be possible for people to see it without binoculars, but it will be necessary if the sky is clear, otherwise small binoculars can be used.
According to experts, it will be possible to see this comet in the northwest direction in the sky before sunrise on September 9 and 10.
Nishimura’s tail will be green because it has more gas than its surroundings.