Providing the weather forecast holds out, the next few nights should be clear enough to go comet hunting in southern Saskatchewan. Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon, or simply, Comet Lemmon, is making a very rare appearance over Canada as it travels through our solar system. Most of the time it’s too faint to see with the unaided eye, however astronomy enthusiasts will get a glimpse of it over the next few nights without the use of binoculars or telescopes.
Comet Lemmon was first seen in July of this year by the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona as it makes its way around the sun becoming bright enough for telescopes to see. Currently it is at it’s brightest, but is still best viewed with binoculars or backyard telescopes.
Experts remind comet hunters to be far away from urban lights and to allow eyes time to adjust to the darkness. The comet can be seen in the western sky just after sunset, near the star “Arcturus” and under the “handle” of the Big Dipper. It will be visible until the end of October/early November before it carries on with its journey through space.
Like Halley’s Comet, this one orbits around the sun in the opposite direction of the planets, however it’s travel distance is much further than Halley’s comet. This will be the last time humans will see Comet Lemmon for over 1,300 years. Enjoy the view while you can.
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