The bright Nishimura comet formally known as C/2023 P1 is moving at approximately 240,000 mph, and as it zips past earth this week, The comet last visited around 430 years ago, a decade or two before Galileo invented the telescope and it won't be possible to see it again for another 400 years if it does not head into interstellar space never to return.

The comet was only discovered in August 2023 by Japanese Photographer 'Hideo Nishimura' through his digital camera while taking photos of the sky before sunrise.

At a kilometre across, the comet will pass within 125 million kilometres of Earth and will be visible to the naked eye.

The ball of ice and dust is approaching its closest point to Earth, which it will reach on Tuesday 12th September before arriving at what's known as perihelion, its closest approach to the sun, on Sept. 17. The comet is currently making its way through the Leo constellation in the early morning hours before sunrise.

To see the comet, look to the Northeast during predawn hours. Using a stargazing app might help you locate the comet.

Nishimura is expected to brighten rapidly, potentially reaching magnitude 2. Although that should be an easy naked-eye magnitude, the comet’s low altitude in the Northern Hemisphere means it’s really best seen with binoculars or a telescope.

Nishimura will swing past the Sun and head back to the outer reaches of the solar system, never to return. The comet is thought to have been visible in the night sky from earth around 400 years ago and although its new journey through the night sky started in the Oort Cloud, it has now become a hyperbolic comet, meaning it has enough energy to escape the Sun’s gravity and rocket off into interstellar space. Making it a true once in a lifetime event to observe in the night sky before it heads off into space.

Cloud cover and local light pollution will impact on the changes of spotting the comet in the skies above Penrith.

The best opportunity to spot locally in the Penrith area will be from outside the town where light pollution will be less of an issue and a wider unobstructed view of the dark skies will be possible looking in a North East direction.