Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is simply weeks away from a detailed strategy to Earth that might make it seen to the bare eye within the October evening sky. Learn on for spectacular views of this wandering comet and its magnificent tail as captured by astrophotographers all over the world.
Astronomers found Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) on Jan. 3 utilizing a 60-inch telescope situated on the Mt.Lemmon Observatory in Arizona. The comet is at present heading farther into the photo voltaic system and can make its closest strategy to Earth on Oct. 21, passing a little bit over 55 million miles (89 million kilometers) from our planet, earlier than heading on to perihelion — its closest level to the solar — on Nov. 8.
Since its discovery, the comet has brightened considerably, leaping from magnitude +21.5 in January to +7 and past, elevating hopes that it might develop into seen to the bare eye from darkish sky places within the coming month if the development continues. Keep in mind, magnitude is the dimensions utilized by astronomers to chart the obvious brightness of an object within the evening sky. The decrease the quantity, the brighter the thing. The human eye is ready to see our bodies with a magnitude of +6.5 beneath superb darkish sky situations.
Comets are famously unpredictable. The latest brightening could possibly be a transient outburst fairly than a gradual improve because the comet approaches to the solar, solely time will inform.
Proper now, the wandering photo voltaic system physique is at present seen as a diffuse smudge of sunshine by binoculars, whereas astrophotographers utilizing specialised cameras hooked up to highly effective yard telescopes are already capturing breathtaking long-exposure views of the comet’s shiny nucleus and twisting ion tails.
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) in photos
Astronomer Aleix Roig captured this picture of Comet Lemmon within the moonless skies above Catalonia, Spain, on Sept. 22, revealing the haunting glow of the central coma from which flows a spectral ion path.
“On this picture, you’ll be able to clearly see the comet’s greenish coma, a results of diatomic carbon (C2) fluorescing in daylight and its creating tail extending away from the Solar,” Roig wrote in a weblog publish on his astronomy web site www.astrocat.information. “These options make “Lemmon” a placing reminder of the icy wanderers that go to the interior photo voltaic system from the distant Oort Cloud.”
Jānis Šatrovskis stitched collectively a surprising timelapse view revealing the extent to which C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) traveled relative to the starfield past only a few days afterward Sept. 25 from Burtnieki, Latvia.
Komētas C/2025 A6 Lemmon laiklēciena video. Ja ieskatas, tad redz ka netālu no komas, astē, ir gaišāka daļa kas attālinās no komas. Dinamiska. Un tas stundas laikā. pic.twitter.com/ogK4Wnxj08September 25, 2025
Much more detailed views got here courtesy of astrophotographer Dan Bartlett, who imaged the comet over a number of nights to disclose how the advanced construction of its ever-shifting tail developed over time from his yard in June Lake, California, over latest weeks. Bartlett captured the comet’s twisting ion tail wax and wane because it was buffeted by the photo voltaic wind emanating from our mother or father star.
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Chris Schur produced a spectacular hour-long publicity of Comet Lemmon over Payson, Arizona, on Sept. 30.
“Whereas Comet Lemmon was merely a tender diffuse glow within the binoculars, lengthy publicity imaging revealed a surprising object with a beautiful teal coloured head turning right into a pair of tails – one golden hued manufactured from mud close to the top, and a protracted blue streamer of fuel touring all the way in which throughout my 3 diploma vast subject with the 8inch astrograph,” Schur advised Area.com in an electronic mail.
X consumer Bray Falls captured one more attractive view of C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) streaking by the skies above Austin, Texas, in early October because the tail confirmed refined perturbations led to by the photo voltaic wind.
Comet Lemmon is beginning to look attractive! I took this photograph this morning of the comet pic.twitter.com/cGwA4nNwcLOctober 3, 2025
Chuck’s Astrophotography posted a equally magnificent view on X, displaying unbelievable element within the tail because it sprawled out in opposition to a backdrop of distant stars on Oct. 2
Comet “C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)” will not return for 1,350 years, so I’m taking benefit now. I captured it once more this morning, Oct. 2, and it is nonetheless getting brighter. I used my Celestron RASA telescope, ZWO ASI533MC shade digicam, and an Antlia L-Filter from Starfront Observatories. pic.twitter.com/Fg2m6j5KusOctober 2, 2025
Comet Lemmon is greatest considered within the hours previous daybreak in early October and may at present be discovered between the constellations Ursa Main and Leo Minor. Following perihelion on Nov. 8, Comet Lemmon will embark on a 1,351-year elliptical orbit that can see the icy physique vary out 243 instances the Earth/solar distance earlier than starting its return journey to the interior photo voltaic system.
Editor’s Observe: In case you seize a picture of Comet Lemmon and wish to share it with Area.com’s readers, then please ship your photograph(s), feedback, and your identify and site to spacephotos@house.com.
