Stargazing JACKPOT: Once-in-MULTIPLE-lifetimes comet is hurtling towards Earth. Here's when you can see it
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Stargazing JACKPOT: Once-in-MULTIPLE-lifetimes comet is hurtling towards Earth. Here's when you can see it")
Comet Lemmon representative image. Stargazers will have an incredible opportunity to see the comet that last visited us centuries ago. Photograph: (Unsplash)
Details about Comet Lemmon: C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is fast approaching Earth. Stargazers are in for a treat as this comet is visiting us after 1,396 years, and won't be here again until the year 3421. When will Comet Lemmon be closest to Earth, and how can you see it?
A comet is fast approaching Earth and can easily be termed not "once-in-a-lifetime", but once in "multiple" lifetimes. Its last visit to Earth was in the year 629, which makes it a must-watch for stargazing enthusiasts. Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is an iconic comet of sorts since it pays us a rare visit. It was discovered by scientists using the telescope at Mt. Lemmon, Arizona, on January 3, 2025. Since then, multiple observations have been made to study its point of origin, components and trajectory. Scientists have determined that it is not a new comet and has been to the solar system before. Its orbit shows that it orbits the sun in 1,396 years, which means its previous trip to our system and near Earth was in the year 629. Stargazing enthusiasts would not want to miss it since its next visit will happen in the year 3421.
When will Comet Lemmon reach Earth?
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is currently in the constellation of Gemini, around 346,951,344.8 kilometres from Earth. It is racing towards the inner solar system and will reach perihelion, or closest point to the Sun, on November 8, 2025. But before that, it will pass by our planet on October 21. The best way to view it would be from a place where there is the least light pollution. The good news is that it is brightening as it approaches us. Also, it is in the sunset sky, which will make spotting it easier. Astronomers observing the comet have reported that it has brightened quickly over the last month, having moved rapidly to magnitude 11 from 16.5. A lower score denotes that the comet is getting brighter. Also Read: Scientist claims mystery interstellar object is here to test human intelligence, and we have already failed. Here's why
How bright will Comet Lemmon be, and how to see it?
Assuming that Comet Lemmon will continue with the pattern, it might reach a magnitude of 4 or 5 by the time it comes near Earth, according to Japanese comet expert Seiichi Yoshida. At this scale, people in the darker areas might not even be able to see it with the naked eye. However, comets can quickly change how they present, with explosions sometimes occurring on them. Remember the devil comet? Researchers will continue to keep a watch on the comet to see how it behaves in the coming weeks. If it even reaches a magnitude 7.5, a small telescope might be all you need to see the wandering visitor.
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