Rare Green Comet Nishimura Makes Once-in-a-Lifetime Appearance

A newly discovered green comet, named the Nishimura comet after its amateur Japanese discoverer, is passing through our cosmic neighborhood for the first time in over 400 years. Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere have a limited window to catch a glimpse of the kilometer-sized comet before it disappears for another 400 years. The comet will sweep past Earth on September 12, passing within 78 million miles, and will be visible to the naked eye but extremely faint. Early risers should use binoculars and look towards the northeastern horizon near the constellation Leo. If the comet survives its close encounter with the sun, it may be visible in the Southern Hemisphere by the end of September.