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Comet Lemmon 2025, Another Opportunity

William Monfredo

William Monfredo

EF4
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
452
Location
North-central Nebraska
Look for it in the evening, low in the northwestern sky, with a close approach to earth on the 21st of October.
Diagram shows Comet Lemmon in Constellation Bootes then, hazily visible to the naked eye (Anthony Wood.)
Image.jpeg
If you have binoculars or a decent camera, check it out further. I'm going to go out and try, we'll see.
For more specifics, see Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon): Complete Information & Live Data | TheSkyLive .
 
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Moon phase on October 21, 2025 for Comet Lemmon observation: New moon, zero light interference.Image.jpeg​

At the close approach, it will fly "only" 55 million miles away from earth, positioned as in this figure (ESA/NEOCC, The Watchers.)
Head for a dark, rural sky. Orionid meteors from Halley's Comet debris will also streak around on both the 20th & 21st of October.
 
Actually rare…multiple comets in the sky at the same time!

You can see them in opposite sky locations. Whereas Comet Lemmon’s to the NW, less-bright Comet SWAN’s to the SW.

An optimal time to observe Comet Lemmon on Monday, Oct. 20 for example…
1 & 1/2 hours after sunset for about a 1/2 hour. It will appear to slowly descend toward the horizon as twilight progresses.
In New York, figure about 17 degrees above the horizon at first.

“Look for Comet Lemmon two-thirds of the way along a line between Alkaid — the bright star at the end of the Big Dipper’s handle —
and bright star Arcturus farther west (Forbes).

And Comet SWAN will appear blue-green (binoculars needed) low in the SW sky after the sun sets, too.

“...in the Constellation Sagittarius, above the famous “Teapot” asterism, but also below the bright star Altair in the Summer Triangle.
It lies in front of the Milky Way’s dense star fields, which will be visible behind the comet..." (Forbes.)
In New York, figure about 34 degrees above the horizon to start.
 
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If I remember (and its not cloudy) I'm gonna go out & see if I can see it. In westerly directions I'm looking away from city lights, may still be too much light in the air overall, but it costs no time or trouble to go effort to go outside & look. .lol.

Though I'm not sure how "1 & 1/2 hours after sunset" translates to here with that. (sunset here is 6:14 today...so if you have to take into account using eastern time of 6:14, with the 2-hour difference, it'd be 4:14 & still too light out. Is that right or do you go ~90min after your local sunset??)
 
Thanks.. that timing will be perfect.
As long as I remember I plan to go up on the roof & look, since trees block my view from yard or deck. .lol.
Probably try tonight since there's a coldfront headed this way tomorrow...
 
I went out & looked Sun night(was really nice out for mid Oct!, woulda even been fine in short sleeves). And went out again tonight....
Saw nothing either night (only looking naked-eye). I think it might been a bit hazy, and/or the light pollution has gotten progressively worse.
Very few stars even looking west? (none ofcourse looking north, but its been that way for a long time).
I couldn't even find the big dipper(something I've always been able to find (I *think* I saw the top part... & if that was it, its now pretty low in the starless northern sky, so washed out...))
 
I went out to a spot near Santa Fe where there was not much in the way of light pollution, except when cars came by which was more often than I thought. I knew where the comet was supposed to be relative to the handle of the Big Dipper, which I could see. There was nothing visible to the naked eye that I could recognize as a comet, but it was probably one of the dim "stars" I could see in the area of interest. Certainly could not see the tail, though. But the camera could, although it was much less impressive than the tail of the comet last year around this time. This was my best picture:


IMG_7672-cr-e-topaz3-denoise-e-fb.jpg
 
I fared worse on the 21st, being unable to get out to a dark sky, and opting to stay in Owasso and make the best of it. Night skies in the Tulsa area are still darker than central NJ, so there was that.

Last night, encroaching clouds prevented any improvement, so barring another opportunity, this will have to do:

1761241143649.png
 
Comet Lemmon isn't great but it's no lemon either. I was not able to get out of city light which is evident in this picture, lol! Comet is left of the star and above the arrow. That said Comet Lemmon and a short tail are pretty obvious in binoculars even from in town. Chattanooga is a mid-size market on the light pollution map too.

Sunday I took an inconclusive look, but on Monday I was pretty sure I found it. Sun/Mon were from in town. Plan was to go to a darker rural area Tuesday but life happened. Wednesday I got a chance in a somewhat better part of town (exurb) but not really dark. Results are below via phone (pro setting). Not worth the DSLR until dark sky. Binocular view was crisper with a fuzzy short tail.

Comet Lemmon.jpg
 
Yes Comet Lemmon should remain decent through binoculars until the end of Oct. It is getting farther from Earth but approaching the sun it'll get more active. Opposing trends probably net out even for apparent brightness. Crescent moon will grow though, so one has to work around that. Locally I've got more clouds forecast than earlier this week. Dark clear rural skies should be fine a few more days.

Here are a couple pictures from darker sky Thursday. On Wednesday I was still in some light pollution. Below was from a truly rural area. Still didn't have time to set up my DSLR, rushing out and back. Elected to enjoy it through binoculars (limited time) rather than deal with photography. More phone pics. Second pic moved a bit, but somehow shows the tail slightly better.

Blue hue is still some twilight.
Lemmon blue.jpg
Zoomed a few minute later.
Lemmon zoom.jpg
 
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