Comet Nishimura could become visible this week: How to watch

The comet is currently located in the constellation Leo, according to EarthSky. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s (JPL) orbital calculations indicate that the comet completes an orbit around the Sun once every 435 years. While September 12 would probably be the date at which it would be closest to the Earth, there is a chance that it will be so close to the Sun that we will not be able to see it due to the star’s glare.

EarthSky marks September 8 as a good date for when it will be within range of the unaided eye. On that day, you might be able to look for the comet before the day breaks. The most dominant object in the night sky will be a crescent moon in the eastern part followed by Venus nearby. The comet could be near the pair right next to the star Adhafera in Leo’s Sickle.

Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock and dust that orbit the Sun. They are leftovers from the formation of the solar system. Typically, they range from a few kilometres to tens of kilometres wide. But as they orbit closer to the Sun, they spew out gases and dust, which forms the tails that they are famous for.