When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Comet C/2025 A6, better known as Comet Lemmon, was one of the latest icy visitors to swing through our neighborhood of the solar system, leaving astronomers and casual skywatchers equally delighted. For observers in Hawaii, the glow of the Milky Way didn't dim the streak of light made by this comet passing through.
What is it?
Comet Lemmon was discovered in January 2025 and made its closest approach to Earth in late October 2025. But by November 2025, when this image was taken, it had brightened to about the same apparent brightness as the planet Uranus, making it visible to the naked eye even from suburban skies.
Where is it?
This image was taken atop the volcanic peak Mauna Kea, on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Why is it amazing?
Comets are notoriously unpredictable, so Comet Lemmon's surprising visibility has felt like a bit of a cosmic bonus for Hawaiian stargazers. And this was a rare treat, as the comet won't return to Earth's skies for another 1,350 years, around the year 3375.
Framing this comet is the glow of our home galaxy, the Milky Way, which is easier to spot at higher elevations like Mauna Kea's peak, where there is less light pollution. The image gives us a souvenir from a celestial visitor that won't be back for more than a millennium.
Want to learn more?
You can learn more about comets and skywatching.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Extraordinary Miracles: The Cherished Islands for a Tropical Get-away - 2Step in Style: A Survey of \Solace and Execution on the Track\ Running Shoes
- 3Moscow accuses Berlin of stifling the opposition
- 4Argentina joins NASA’s moon return with microsatellite testing GPS beyond Earth
- 5Birds Will Flock To Your Birdbath When You Plant These Two Flowers Around It
- 5 Bike Brands for Ordinary Use
- What do teens and tweens want for the holidays? E-bikes, gift cards and lip tints.
- Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah continue to trade attacks
- Kaiser Permanente affiliates to pay $556 million to resolve US claims alleging Medicare fraud
- Iranian missile hit on Ne'ot Hovav factory leads to fear of chemical leakage
- NATO needs Ukraine's 'adaptation DNA' and an 'HOV lane' for new war tech, top commander says
- Police arrest 18 as anti-war protests spread across Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem
- From record warming to rusting rivers, 2025 Arctic Report Card shows a region transforming faster than expected
- German hauliers warn soaring energy prices may soon impact consumers
