Last Chance to Witness Comet Lemmon Before Its Millennial Disappearance
Skywatchers have a final opportunity this Sunday, October 13th, to view Comet Lemmon, a celestial visitor that won’t grace our skies again for another 1,150 years. Teh comet, officially designated C/2019 U6 (lemmon), has been steadily brightening and is currently visible with binoculars or a small telescope, offering a rare spectacle for astronomy enthusiasts.
Discovered in October 2019 by the Mount Lemmon Survey in Arizona, Comet Lemmon reached perihelion – its closest approach to the sun – in June 2024. Now, as it journeys away from the sun and Earth, it presents a fleeting chance for observation. While not a naked-eye object,its current magnitude of around 5.5 makes it accessible to those with even modest optical aid.Observers in the Northern Hemisphere are best positioned for viewing, with the comet currently located in the constellation Coma Berenices.
Jamie Carter,writing for Forbes,notes that the comet is “currently visible with binoculars or a small telescope.” To locate it, observers should look for a faint, fuzzy patch of light. Detailed finder charts are available online from astronomy resources like sky & Telescope and EarthSky, aiding in pinpointing its location.
The orionid meteor shower, peaking around October 21st, will occur shortly after Lemmon’s departure, offering another astronomical event to look forward to. Though, unlike the predictable annual meteor showers, comets like Lemmon are far less frequent visitors, making this viewing opportunity exceptionally special. After Sunday, the comet will continue to fade as it travels further into the outer solar system, remaining out of sight for over a millennium.
