Comets of this kind aren’t on a regular basis sightings. The alternative to watch objects that may have orbital intervals measured in hundreds of years is fleeting. So when Comet Lemmon not too long ago appeared within the evening sky, keen skywatchers appeared as much as observe it transfer throughout the heavens.
What is it?
Comet Lemmon, or C/2025 A6, was found by the Arizona-based Mount Lemmon Survey, which observed it as an almost asteroid‐like object; it was later re-classified as a comet once coma and tail features became evident.
In recent years, improved survey telescopes (like those used in the Mount Lemmon Survey) and more frequent astrophotography mean we’re discovering and documenting more comets than ever. Yet, large and bright comets visible even to the unaided eye remain uncommon.
Where is it?
This photograph was taken near Pedraforca mountain within the Bergueda area in Spain.
Why is it amazing?
The image provides more than just a beautiful view; it records a moment of active sublimation: dust and gas escaping the nucleus due to solar heating. The color of a comet’s coma often indicates what gases may be fluorescing under solar UV radiation, offering clues to the icy body’s composition. Capturing the tail and coma structure helps astronomers model the dust production rate, tail shape and size, and how the comet is interacting with the solar wind and radiation pressure.
Want to learn more?
You can learn more about astrophotography and Comet Lemmon.