How to see comet tonight close to me? Visibility, the place’s Lemmon, SWAN

Stargazers desperate to catch a uncommon inexperienced comet within the sky tonight, Saturday, Oct. 25, are in for a double cosmic deal with as Comet Lemmon and Comet SWAN are near Earth and visual within the sky this weekend. And because of the waxing crescent moon part tonight, a darkish sky is right to identify the Big Dipper, close to the place Lemmon is flying by.

Tonight’s seen comets are making a uncommon shut method to Earth, with the perfect time to step outdoors after sundown. The vivid inexperienced Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) is passing Earth inside 56 million miles, and recorded a brightness magnitude of +6, that means it technically might be seen with the bare eye. Comet SWAN (C/2025 R2) made its closest method this week at roughly 24 million miles and might nonetheless be noticed.

There could also be some lingering clouds in New Jersey tonight, and perhaps a number of sprinkles relying on the place you reside, in keeping with the National Weather Service. Forecasters anticipate frost to develop in a single day, so be certain for those who head out, you seize a coat.

Is the comet seen tonight?

Yes. There are two comets tonight within the sky that you just could possibly see: Comet Lemmon, named C/2025 A6, and Comet SWAN, named C/2025 R2. You would possibly simply have the ability to catch their trails within the night time sky all weekend, climate allowing. And Lemmon is anticipated to have its spookiest method round Halloween 2025, on Oct. 31, and into early November, according to Starwalk.

When is Comet Lemmon seen? How to see C/2025 A6

Comet Lemmon might be seen tonight about 90 minutes after sundown within the northwest sky, close to the Big Dipper. Thanks to the waxing crescent moon tonight, it’s going to be simpler to identify the inexperienced comet for the reason that first part of the brand new moon might be simply 15% illuminated tonight, Saturday, Oct. 25.

While technically Comet Lemmon’s magnitude is right for recognizing with the bare eye, a pair of binoculars or small telescope could be very best. Comet Lemmon is discovered above the star Arcturus in Boötes, an orange-red object positioned beneath the arc of the Big Dipper within the southwest sky. Check out a stargazing map, like Stellarium, that will help you.

Lemmon, which was first found by astronomers in January, might be noticed by means of the tip of October and into November, Starwalk says, however its look is kind of uncommon. The subsequent time Comet Lemmon will make its closest method to Earth is in about 1,300 years — so do not miss it!

Where to look, find out how to see the comet close to me?

Eager skywatchers and stargazers ought to discover a good out of doors spot with 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 purpose, utilizing decrease magnification in your gear works greatest.

Comet Lemmon is technically seen to the bare eye, however you may want binoculars or a small telescope to see Comet SWAN. Lemmon’s magnitude 4.5 is about the identical brightness as March’s Beehive Cluster (M44) and a bit dimmer than the Andromeda galaxy (M31).

When is Comet SWAN seen? How to see C/2025 R2

Comet SWAN is seen within the night sky tonight, however this comet is headed in a unique course then Lemmon, passing Earth to 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 a really faint object at midnight night time sky.

SWAN is greatest positioned for observers within the Southern Hemisphere the place it’s going to be seen low on the south-southwest horizon, so it may 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.

Unfortunately, any kind of gentle air pollution will considerably degrade its visibility, so city skywatchers ought to search out full darkness.

When will Halley’s Comet return?

Each time Halley’s Comet (1P/Halley) returns to the internal photo voltaic system, it sprays ice and rock particles, leading to two weak meteor showers annually: October’s Orionids meteor bathe, and the Eta Aquarids in May, in keeping with NASA.

For followers of Halley, your subsequent likelihood to see the comet in our skies is on July 28, 2061, when it is on its traditional (or uncommon, for those who take into account it strikes reverse Earth’s movement) across the Sun. While Halley’s final look in February 1986 wasn’t very best, because it was opposite the midwinter sun, the icy house phenomena is anticipated to be 10 instances brighter when it returns in roughly 36 years.

Halley is well probably the most well-known of the comets because of its “visits” to Earth about each 76 years, making it attainable an individual may see it twice of their lifetime. It additionally has been recorded in historical past courting again to 467 BC

Right now, Comet 1P/Halley is within the constellation of Hydra, referred to as the “female water snake” constellation, closest to the celestial equator.

Where is Comet 3I/ATLAS?

Astronomers are keeping track of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, which was found on July 1, 2025 by astronomers on the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, in keeping with NASA. Scientists say the item originated from one other star system and after hundreds of thousands or maybe billions of years, just lately made it into our photo voltaic system.

ATLAS is taken into account the third interstellar object noticed passing by means of our photo voltaic system, apart from ‘Oumuamua in 2017, and 2I/Borisov, found in 2019. It poses no risk to Earth.

While not seen to us right here on Earth proper now, because it’s nearing its closest level to the solar on Oct. 30, 2025, it would reappear on the opposite aspect in December 2025 — offering an opportunity for a view. Follow Atlas’ journey on the NASA “Eyes on the Solar System” live map.

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