MSGID: 1:153/757.0 9b71f94b   
   TZUTC: -0700   
   CHRS: LATIN-1 2   
                           Astronomy Picture of the Day   
      
       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   
      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: Peter Kennett   
      
      Explanation: Comet Nishimura is growing. More precisely, the tails   
      C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) are growing as it nears the Sun. Discovered only   
      last month, the comet is already near naked eye brightness as it now   
      moves inside the Earth's orbit. The comet will be nearest the Earth   
      next week, but nearest the Sun the week after -- on September 17.   
      Speculation holds that expelled ice and dust from Comet Nishimura's   
      last visit to the inner Solar System may have created the Sigma Hydrids   
      meteor shower which peaks yearly in December. If so, then this meteor   
      shower may become more active, refreshed with new comet debris.   
      Pictured, Comet Nishimura was captured from Edgewood, New Mexico, USA   
      four nights ago, showing a long ion tail structured by interactions   
      with the Sun's wind. Look for 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 continues to   
      brighten and its tails continue to grow.   
      
            Gallery: Selected Comet Nishimura images submitted to APOD   
                       Tomorrow's picture: person, moon, sun   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
   --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-6   
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