Finding Comet Happiness
- astromarka
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
“Comets make me happy.” When my astronomy mentor told me this, it came with a knowing smile. Prior to her declaration, thinking of happiness as the emotion comets manifest didn’t enter my view. Now, that’s difference. This week of October, on the 20st is your moment to experience “comet induced happiness.”
Courtesy Aaron Watson, Skies Alive Photography
Comet LEMMON - You Better Look Sharp
Comet LEMMON is on the cusp of being visible with the naked eye, but the odds-makers are saying, “bring your binoculars.” Having been observing the comet since the 16th through binoculars, I leave each viewing both happy and a bit nervous. I’m nervous the comet will abide by the note of caution offered by famed comet hunter, David Levy, “Comets are like cats, they both have tails, and both do precisely what they want.”
Input from other observers and stargazers is indicating you can see a fuzzy patch revealing comet LEMMON by averting their vision as they scanner the night sky. More on this below.
Here’s the inside scoop. Whether through binoculars, or with your naked eye, comet LEMMON is going to make your happy so plan to get out and look for it this week.
What’s in a name? Meet Comet C/2025 A6 LEMMON
Of course, it’s science, so the comet’s name is not “willy-nilly.” The name of a comet is determined by a set of rules from the International Astronomical Union. Let’s break the name apart.
The “C/” refers to a non-periodic comet. This means the comet hasn’t been observed before, and its orbital period (the amount of time it takes to complete one orbit around the Sun) is greater than 200 years. Next, the “2025” denotes the year the comet was discovered. Then the “A” indicates the half-month it was discovered. This can get tricky so a bit of explanation will help. For comet nomenclature, the first half of January is “A,” the second half of January is “B,” the first half of February is “C,” and the second half of February is “D”, and so on, for the remainder of the calendar year. With the “6” indicating that this comet was the sixth comet discovered in the first half of January. It is estimated that the orbital period for C/2023 A3 is thought to be 1,350 years. Lastly, “Lemmon” in the comet’s name references the Mount Lemmon Survey telescope located in the Santa Catalina Mountains north east of Tucson, Arizona. The telescope first imaged the comet on January 3rd of this year.
The Easiest Way to Find Comet C/2025 A6 LEMMON during the Week of October 20th
First a warning, waiting till later in the week (Thursday and Friday) limits your viewing window due to the increasing interference of the waxing crescent Moon. Tuesday and Wednesday night are the top picks. Of course, observing conditions (clouds, light pollution, growing illumination from the Moon) will impact your view. Fortunately, the 20st is a New Moon so our solar system’s street light will be dark that night and for the next few nights.
Make 7:30pm your target time to be at a dark location with a clear view of the northwestern horizon as far as possible away from artificial lighting. Especially light pollution near the horizon.
After your achieve night vision (about 20-minutes without being exposed to artificial light), look to the northwestern horizon. Locate the seven brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major that create the Big Dipper asterism. Beginning at the left side of the dipper’s cup, follow up the handle up toward the end, and at the end continue on an imaginary arcing toward the horizon and the next brightest star on that arc. This is the alpha star Arcturus in the constellation Bootes, it will be close to the horizon. About one third back up the arc from Arcturus and a bit to the west you’ll find comet LEMMON. This images give you an idea of what to looking for progressing over the next three days all at 7:30pm local time:
October 21
Note the comet is to the right of the bright star Epsilon Bootis, also known as Lzar in the constellation Bootes with a visual magnitude of 2.4. It is noticeably brighter than the surround stars. Remember in these images, the bigger the star’s size, the brighter it is in the sky.
October 22
Note: This night the comet is to the left of the bright star Epsilon Bootis.
October 23:
Note: area as the night prior, only farther to the west.
If you have a clean view of the horizon, you will have about two hours to enjoy the beauty and mystery of the comet before it fall behind the horizon. You’re looking for clearly noticeable light greenish smudge against the night sky. Like the tip of a Q-Tip. That tip is the comet’s coma. It will be dim and diffused. Once you find the comet’s coma, avert your vision from looking directly at it. You are scanning for the comet’s delicate tail. Make sure you have your binoculars ready to view the comet’s subtle ion tail along with its debris tail. Notice its greenish color. The distinctive green glow comes from specific molecules in the comet’s coma being excited by sunlight.
If you happen to miss comet Lemmon during the week of the 20st, find comfort in knowing that comet LEMMON is an inbound comet we may have the chance to see it again after it swing around the Sun. That is, if comet LEMMON survives its trip around the Sun.
Get out and find some comet happiness this week and remember David Levy’s warning. If comets are as unpredictable as cats, then that’s all the more reason for you to find and see comet C/2025 A6 LEMMON over the next week.
Wishing you the clearest of skies and happy comet hunting!
Photographic Credit
Special thanks goes out to Aaron Watson, former chair of DarkSky Colorado for contributing the image above of comet LEMMON. He is an excellent astro imager and I encourage you to checkout his website to see his other incredible astro images.