Across the Northern Hemisphere, now’s the time to catch a new comet before it vanishes for 400 years

By MARCIA DUNN
AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A newly discovered comet is swinging through our cosmic neighborhood for the first time in more than 400 years. Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere will want to catch a glimpse as soon as possible this week or early next week. It’ll be another 400 years before the wandering ice ball returns. The comet is faint, so experts suggest using binoculars. The comet will come closest to the sun on about Sept. 17 before departing the solar system. An amateur Japanese astronomer discovered the rare green comet in mid-August and it’s named the Nishimura comet after him.