Topline
Are you prepared to identify two green comets? Seen within the pre-dawn hours for some weeks, the brightest of two comets now within the evening sky — Comet Lemmon — on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, ought to grow to be simpler to see after its dimmer look on Saturday, Oct. 11. A diffuse fuzzy patch within the northwestern sky in binoculars, Lemmon is joined by the marginally much less shiny Comet SWAN within the southwest within the post-sunset evening sky. Each comets will probably brighten via the week because the moon recedes from the night sky, reaching their brightest round Oct. 20-21 because the Orionid meteor shower peaks. Right here’s the best way to discover C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) — and maybe C/2025 R2 (SWAN) — on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025.
Comets Lemmon and SWAN are actually changing into seen. Though they’ll get brighter subsequent week, you possibly can glimpse them now utilizing binoculars or a telescope. Picture exhibits Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) from earlier in 2024. (Photograph by Patricio Murphy/SOPA Pictures/LightRocket by way of Getty Pictures)
SOPA Pictures/LightRocket by way of Getty Pictures
Key Details
There are two comets presently observable in binoculars — the brightest, Comet Lemmon, earlier than dawn within the northern sky and the dimmer Comet SWAN after sundown within the southwestern sky.
Views of each will probably be barely affected by the sunshine of a 65%-lit waning gibbous moon, however the perfect time to view them via binoculars is 90 minutes earlier than dawn and 90 minutes after sundown, respectively.
Comet Lemmon and its gasoline tail are brightening quickly within the predawn sky, in keeping with Space.com, however it’s more likely to attain its brightest in late October when it will get round 55.4 million miles (89.2 million kilometers) from Earth. The Comet Observation database reported it to be shining at magnitude +5.7 on Oct. 9. Comet SWAN is reported to be somewhat dimmer at magnitude +6.
Each comets will seem as small, diffuse patches in a pair of binoculars, altering place barely every day. These observing in darkish sky locations removed from streetlights and concrete mild air pollution could have the perfect views of each comets.
Lemmon and SWAN are the primary comets broadly seen in binoculars since Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in October 2024.
The placement of Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) 90 minutes earlier than dawn on Oct. 12, 2025.
Stellarium
Comet Lemmon: When And The place To Discover It On Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025.
Distance from the solar: 75.3 million miles (121.2 million kilometers)
Distance from Earth: 66 million miles (106.3 million kilometers)
On Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, Comet Lemmon will probably be seen within the northeast earlier than daybreak to the right-hand facet of the Large Dipper, low within the sky however observable in binoculars. It will likely be roughly midway between the celebrities Megrez and Phecda on the within of the Large Dipper’s bowl, and Alula Borealis and Alula Australis, two shiny stars that mark the foot of the constellation Ursa Main, “the Nice Bear.” You will discover some wonderful finder charts at In-The-Sky.com.
A finder chart for Comet Lemmon for Oct. 12, 2025, and for the next two weeks, courtesy of In-The-Sky.org.
In-The-Sky.com (used with permission)
Comet Lemmon: Greatest Time To See It
One of the best time to search for Comet Lemmon will probably be a 30-minute window starting about 90 minutes earlier than sunrise where you are. For New York Metropolis, dawn is 7:04 a.m. EDT, so the best viewing time will probably be 5:35-6:05 a.m. EDT (Venus will rise within the east throughout this time), though you possibly can look earlier. The comet’s top above the horizon will range relying in your location, however from New York, it will likely be round 27 levels up (concerning the width of the span of your hand, with fingers stretched out, held at arm’s size) and rising. Along with combating the growing mild of daybreak, on Thursday, there’s additionally the sunshine of the 65%-lit waning gibbous moon, setting within the west, to take care of. From early subsequent week, Comet Lemmon may also be seen within the post-sunset evening sky.
The placement of Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) 90 minutes after sundown on Oct. 12, 2025.
Stellarium
Comet Swan: When And The place To Discover It On Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025
Distance from the solar: 79.2 million miles (127.4 million kilometers)
Distance from Earth: 28.1 million miles (45.3 million kilometers)
Blueish-green Comet SWAN — solely found in September — will probably be seen in binoculars on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, low within the southwest after sundown, above the intense star Antares within the constellation Scorpius. You will discover some wonderful finder charts at In-The-Sky.com.
A finder chart for Comet SWAN R2 for Oct. 12, 2025, and for the next three nights, courtesy of In-The-Sky.org.
In-The-Sky.com (used with permission)
Comet Swan: Greatest Time To See It
One of the best time to search for Comet SWAN will probably be a 30-minute window starting about 90 minutes after sundown the place you’re. For New York Metropolis, sundown is 6:17 p.m. EDT, so the best viewing time will probably be 7:47-8:17 p.m. EDT (although you possibly can start wanting shortly earlier than). The comet’s top above the horizon will range relying in your location, however from New York, it will likely be round 17 levels up (concerning the width between your little finger and forefinger held at arm’s size) and sinking.
Uncommon Guests From The Outer Photo voltaic System
Each comets are on completely different journeys. Comet Lemmon was final within the inside photo voltaic system across the 12 months 675, and its subsequent go to is anticipated to happen round 3175. It’s presently approaching Earth, which it would get closest to on Oct. 21 (63 million miles/102 million kilometers) earlier than it reaches perihelion — closest to the solar — on Nov. 8. Comet SWAN is a a lot longer-period comet, taking about 22,554 years to orbit the solar. It gained’t go to once more till 24,579. It was found in September, when it appeared in photos of the solar because it exited its perihelion. It can get closest to Earth on Oct. 20 (24 million miles/39 million kilometers).
Check my feed daily this month for a day by day “comet tracker” with finder charts and suggestions for viewing Comet Lemmon and Comet SWAN.
