Comet Lemmon to Grace Evening Skies This Week
Skywatchers should look west after dark this week for a glimpse of Comet Lemmon, currently making its closest approach to Earth. The comet will be closest to our planet on Tuesday, October 21, and closest to the Sun on November 8, offering a potentially stunning celestial display.
Comets are dynamic objects composed of dust and ices, and their appearance changes as they are heated by the Sun. This heating causes the ices to sublimate into gas,creating the comet’s characteristic tails. The colour and size of these tails depend on the comet’s composition, its angle relative to the sun and Earth, and the amount of dust and gas it releases. Experienced astrophotographers have noted a greenish tint to Comet Lemmon.
According to bogna Pazderska, comets moving close to the Sun are “very dynamically changing objects, which results from their internal structure. they are very porous and are a mixture of dust and various ices.”
Here are tips for observing Comet Lemmon:
* Seek a viewing location away from city lights with a clear western horizon.
* Begin observing after dark as the sky darkens, looking towards the northwest.
* Binoculars can aid in locating the comet.
* Utilize astronomy applications like Stellarium or sky maps to pinpoint the comet’s current position.
* Observe over several days to track its movement relative to the stars.
