Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2023 September 9
   [2]A comet is shown with its green coma on the bottom right and a long
   and structured ion tail flowing diagonally across the image toward the
     top left. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                            Comet Nishimura Grows
                    Credit & Copyright: [3]Peter Kennett

   Explanation: Comet Nishimura is growing. More precisely, the tails
   [4]C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) are growing as it nears the Sun. Discovered
   only last month, the [5]comet is already near naked eye brightness as
   it now moves inside the Earth's orbit. The comet will be nearest the
   [6]Earth next week, but nearest the Sun the week after -- on September
   17. Speculation holds that expelled ice and dust from [7]Comet
   Nishimura's last visit to the inner [8]Solar System may have created
   the [9]Sigma Hydrids meteor shower which peaks yearly in December. If
   so, then this [10]meteor shower may become more active, [11]refreshed
   with new [12]comet debris. [13]Pictured, Comet Nishimura was captured
   from [14]Edgewood, [15]New Mexico, [16]USA four nights ago, showing a
   long ion tail structured by interactions with the [17]Sun's wind. Look
   for [18]this comet near your eastern horizon just before sunrise for
   the next few mornings, but very near your western horizon just after
   sunset next week -- as its coma [19]continues to brighten and its
   [20]tails continue to grow.

       Gallery: [21]Selected Comet Nishimura images submitted to APOD
                    Tomorrow's picture: person, moon, sun
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    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [37]Specific rights apply.
              [38]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC,
                         [42]NASA Science Activation
                           & [43]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2309/Nishimura_Kennett_4428.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/kennettphotography/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2023_P1_(Nishimura)
   5. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en/
   6. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/earth/overview/
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230821.html
   8. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/our-solar-system/in-depth/
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigma_Hydrids
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180808.html
  11. https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy80MTY0MTI3L29yaWdpbi5qcGciLCJleHBpcmVzX2F0IjoxNzA1Mzg5MjY1fQ.6M9vsWms-VGr9rPN1WvxANS2gjpEtNTYtBqtc4CDEZ8/img.jpg
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap171106.html
  13. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.287149497346968&type=3
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgewood,_New_Mexico
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
  17. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/2288/the-solar-wind-across-our-solar-system/
  18. https://earthsky.org/tonight/new-comet-c-2023-p1-nishimura-bright-august-september-october-2023/
  19. http://www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/2023P1/2023P1.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap131117.html
  21. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.287149497346968&type=3
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230908.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230909
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230910.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  42. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  43. http://www.mtu.edu/