Where is the comet tonight? Can I see the comet? Spot Lemmon, SWAN

In a uncommon double cosmic deal with and once-in-a-lifetime alternative, stargazers can look to the night time sky for 2 uncommon comets by means of October 2025 — and Comet Lemmon and Comet SWAN are seen beginning tonight, Oct. 20, 2025, simply in time for the height of the Orionid meteor shower.

Tonight’s seen comets make a uncommon strategy near Earth and each will peak in brightness between Oct. 20 and Oct. 21. The shiny inexperienced Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) will cross by Earth inside 56 million miles, whereas Comet Swan (C/2025 R2) will come even nearer to Earth, at roughly 24 million miles, in line with Space.com.

The climate in New Jersey needs to be typically clear tonight and into tomorrow morning, in line with the National Weather Service. NOAA forecasts clouds and showers ought to dwindle earlier than tonight’s sundown in New Jersey, and due to gusty winds, lingering moisture and threats of fog will dissipate.

Here’s what to know concerning the two uncommon comets, spot them, timing, and extra.

What comet is seen tonight?

Comet Lemmon, named C/2025 A6 Lemmon, and Comet SWAN, named C/2025 R2 Swan, are anticipated to shine shiny tonight, Oct. 20, and Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. However, Lemmon’s spookiest strategy will come round Halloween 2025, when it may shine its brightest round Oct. 31-Nov. 2, according to Starwalk.

Lemmon has reached a magnitude +6 on the detection restrict of the human eye, which technically means it could possibly be seen and not using a telescope or binoculars, if the sky is completely darkish. Lemmon was first found in January 2025 by the Mount Lemmon Survey, which makes use of a 60-inch telescope at Mt. Lemmon, Arizona.

Comet SWAN was first found in September 2025 by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory’s SWAN instrument.

When is Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon seen?

Comet Lemmon is inbound and is making an in depth strategy Oct. 21, 2025 (the brand new moon) however will brighten even more near Halloween 2025 and thru early November. NASA says whereas it is robust to foretell the brightness of comets, estimates say Lemmon might be greatest seen within the night sky close to shiny stars like Arcturus in Boötes by trying northwest after sundown.

To spot it, first discover when the solar units at your location. Then, head out about 90 minutes after with a pair of binoculars or a telescope, and look towards the northwest. You’ll discover every night time it will be making a climb northward.

The next time Comet Lemmon will make its closest strategy is in about 1,150 years, so do not wait!

When is Comet C/2025 R2 Swan seen?

Comet SWAN, or C/2025 R2 Swan, can be seen within the night sky, however within the southwest. SWAN is barely dimmer, though latest observations put it on a brightness magnitude of 5.6, that means it could be seen to the bare eye as very faint object in the dead of night night time sky.

SWAN is greatest place for observers within the Southern Hemisphere, so it could be trickier to identify than Lemmon. On Oct. 16, SWAN was positioned about 5 levels to the higher left of the star Xi Serpentis, within the jap part of the constellation Serpens.

To spot it, look within the hours following sundown, earlier than it sinks low on the south-southwest horizon. Use a stargazing app, like Stellarium, to search out the comet.

Where to look, see the comets?

Beginning tonight, Oct. 20, skywatchers will wish to discover a spot with a very good view of the horizon, away from metropolis lights. Unlike stars and planets, comets usually have diffuse comas and lengthy, faint tails that may span a good portion of the sky. For that motive, utilizing decrease magnification in your gear works greatest.

When will Halley’s Comet seem subsequent?

All this comet speak has stirred curiosity in Halley’s Comet, essentially the most well-known of all comets that appears twice in a human lifetime. Halley’s Comet is anticipated to seem once more round July 28, 2061, in line with Space.com. Right now, Comet 1P/Halley is within the constellation of Hydra, generally known as the “female water snake” constellation near the celestial equator.

When did Halley’s Comet final seem?

Halley’s Comet final appeared February 1986, though it was the worst potential viewing circumstances for Earth observers being that it was out of sight and on the opposite side of the midwinter sun. However, midsummer 2061 guarantees a significantly better view — at the least 10 occasions brighter, Space.com says.

Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.