Comet Lemmon (also called C/2025 A6) and the dimmer Comet SWAN (C/2025 R2) are on different journeys, with the former barreling towards the sun while the latter is traveling away from it.
Key Facts When And Where To See The Comets The best time to spot Comet Lemmon and Comet SWAN on Sunday, Oct. 19, is during a 30-minute window starting about 90 minutes after sunset where you are.
For New York City, where sunset is at 6:06 p.m. EDT, the ideal time for evening viewing is 7:36-8:06 p.m. EDT.
Comet Lemmon can also be seen before dawn.
Check my feed every day this month for a daily “comet tracker” with finder charts and tips for viewing Comet Lemmon and Comet SWAN from mid-northern latitudes.
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Sunday, October. Two comets approach their brightest on 19/2025, and they might even be visible to the unaided eye. The dimmer Comet SWAN (C/2025 R2) and the more powerful Comet Lemmon (also known as C/2025 A6) are traveling in opposite directions from the sun. On Sunday, Lemmon can be easily located by following the stars in the Big Dipper’s handle and heading straight toward it in a banana-shaped curve. Surprisingly, Lemmon and SWAN will both get as close to Earth as possible early next week, around the time of the October Orionid meteor shower peak. 20–21 on a new moon occasion.
Key Facts.
Where and When to View Comets.
On Sunday, October, Comet Lemmon and Comet SWAN are most visible. 19. The 30-minute window begins approximately 90 minutes after sunset in your location. Although they are in different regions of the sky—SWAN in the southwest and Lemmon in the northwest—both can be seen after sunset. Sunset time in New York City is 6:06 p.m. A. For evening viewing, EDT, 7:36–8:06 p.m. is the best time. A. E.D.
You can also see Comet Lemmon before dawn. Start about 90 minutes prior to sunrise and observe during a 30-minute window. at 7:12 a.m., with sunrise. m. The ideal time will be between 5:42 and 6:12 a.m. EDT in New York. A. EDT, but previous observations might also show the comet rising toward the northeast.
How Comet Lemmon Can Be Found.
It is 65,4 million miles (105,3 million kilometers) away from the sun.
55.9 million miles (89.9 million kilometers) from Earth.
Prior to dawn on Sunday, October. Comet 19 will be in the northeast. You can locate the Big Dipper by looking for its handle, which will point downward toward the horizon. Go in a curve roughly half the length of the Big Dipper’s handle by following its stars in an arc, or banana-shape. In the straightforward two-star constellation of Canes Venatici, Lemmon will be beneath the brightest star, Cor Caroli. At 5:43 a.m., the comet will be roughly 7 degrees high from New York, which is slightly less than the width of your outstretched fist. A. EDT and will increase in elevation as dawn draws near. Around the same time as a delicate waning crescent moon with a light of 3%, Venus rises.
Sunday evening, October, after sunset. 19. Between the bright star Arcturus farther west and Alkaid, the bright star at the end of the Big Dipper’s handle, look for Comet Lemmon halfway along a line. Location-specific factors determine how high it is above the horizon, but from New York, it will be roughly 16 degrees above the northwest horizon at 7:36 p.m. M. EDT is about the width of four fingers held out at arm’s length, and it will progressively decrease as dusk grows darker.
The Comet Swan’s Location.
It is 90 points two million miles (145 points one million kilometers) from the sun.
The distance is 24:3 million miles (39:1 million kilometers) from Earth.
Binoculars will show the blueish-green Comet SWAN on Sunday, October. 19, after sunset, low in the southwest. Above the well-known “Teapot” asterism in the constellation Sagittarius, SWAN will be located in the constellation Scutum. Through binoculars, one can see the dense star fields of the Milky Way behind the comet. Your location will determine how high the comet is above the horizon, but it will be at 7:36 p.m. A. It will be about 34 degrees higher when it becomes visible, according to EDT from New York.
To view Comet Lemmon and Comet SWAN from mid-northern latitudes, check my feed every day this month for a daily “comet tracker” that includes finder charts and advice. Read more about 25 Dark Sky Parks in the United States, How to Take Pictures of the Green Comets, and the Best Apps for Stargazing Comets. A. To observe the comets.
Additional Reading.
ForbesComet Tracker For Thursday: It’s Finally Time To See Rare Twin CometsForbesA Once-In-A-Lifetime Green Comet May Soon Be Visible, Scientists SayForbesSee Rare Sight Of Two Comets As Meteor Shower Peaks — Here’s WhenForbesComet Lemmon: Your Ultimate Viewing Guide To The ‘Comet Of The Year’ForbesTwo Naked Eye Comets, ‘Harvest Moon’ And Fireballs: October’s Night SkyForbesOrionid Meteor Shower Begins Thursday — When To See It At Its Best With Two Comets.
