A new comet, Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon, was spotted by astronomer David C. Fuls on Jan. 3 as part of the Mount Lemmon survey, a program that detects near-Earth objects. While the comet was closest to Earth on Tuesday, it has now moved higher in the sky, offering a great opportunity to observe it.
Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society in London, mentioned that Comet Lemmon is currently at its peak visibility. This comet will not return for another 1,300 years, so now is the time to witness its beauty.
To spot Comet Lemmon, look towards the western sky after sunset. By locating the Big Dipper, you can find the bright star Arcturus in the Boötes constellation, with the comet positioned above and to the left of it. Over the next days, the comet will continue its path towards the southwestern sky.
Although amateur astronomers have captured stunning images of Comet Lemmon, it will appear as a fuzzy object in the sky to the naked eye. Despite not being as vivid as past comets like Hale-Bopp or NEOWISE, Comet Lemmon is still relatively bright and can be easily observed with binoculars.
With the moon’s illumination at only nine percent on Friday, it is an excellent time to view the comet without lunar interference. The comet will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere until mid-November but will gradually descend on the southwestern horizon after Sunday.
For those interested in locating the comet, utilizing apps like SkySafari and Stellarium can be helpful tools.
