Comet Lemmon Caught in Rare Tail Disconnection During Solar Storm
A comet currently visible in the nightโ sky,Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6),recently experiencedโค a rare tail disconnection event,captured in stunning detail by astrophotographers amidst a moderate geomagnetic storm. The phenomenon,observed in early October,saw โคa portion of the comet’s tailโ appearโค to detachโฃ from its main body โข- a sight rarely documented.
Comets regularly interact with the solar wind,โฃ but such clear disconnections โare uncommon. This latest event coincided with a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, resulting in a G2 class geomagnetic storm that also enhanced the visibility of the aurora borealis. While similar occurrences happened to Comet Lemmon at the end โof September, the recent images provide especially striking visual โขevidence.
The disconnection was first noted by american astrophotographer Brennan Gilmore, who captured a 60-minute timelapse revealing the tail’s separation during a burst of solar wind. Czech astrophotographer Petr Horรกlek also photographed the comet, showcasing its shaken tail against โขa colorful sky backdrop created by the geomagnetic storm.โฃ
Comet โLemmon’s tail is composed of dust and gas released as it nears the sun.The solar wind, a stream of charged particles constantly emitted by the sun, interacts withโ this material. Powerful bursts โof solar wind can disrupt the flow, leading to the observed disconnections. Though theseโ events aren’t entirely unusual for large comets, the clarity of the recentโ images makes them particularly noteworthy.
