Rare comet Duo to Grace October Skies,Won’t Return for millennia
PARIS – Skywatchers are in for a treat in October 2025 as comets Lemmon and SWAN make a simultaneous appearance,offering a celestial display visible to the naked eye before disappearing for approximately 1,300 years. The comets’ close approach presents a unique opportunity to witness remnants from the Solar System’s formation.
Both comets will be best observed in the early night sky between October 18th and 25th. Lemmon is expected to become visible around 8:45 PM, appearing approximately 15° above the horizon, while SWAN will rise higher, reaching 35°. The ideal viewing time will be roughly half an hour after sunset, as the sky darkens and the comets’ brilliance becomes fully apparent.
Observers are advised to seek out dark, open locations away from city lights, facing towards the west. Lemmon will shine in the northwest, with SWAN positioned slightly more southwest. While visible without assistance, binoculars will enhance the view of the comets’ comae (the fuzzy atmosphere surrounding the nucleus), and a telescope will reveal finer details.Consistent observation over several evenings will allow viewers to track the comets’ subtle changes as they journey across the sky.
These comets are not merely points of light, but “witnesses of the past,” carrying within them materials from the early Solar System. Their concurrent passage serves as a reminder of the sky’s delicate beauty and the interconnectedness of Earth and the cosmos.
