In a rare celestial treat, stargazers in India are witnessing a double comet display this October. Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) and Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) are currently gracing the night skies, offering a unique opportunity to observe two comets simultaneously. Both comets are expected to be at their brightest this week and are visible through binoculars from locations with minimal light pollution.

The comets made their closest approach to Earth in recent days, with SWAN's flyby occurring on Monday, October 20, 2025, and Lemmon's on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. While there's some uncertainty about whether they will become bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, some estimations suggest that Lemmon may brighten further. Currently, Lemmon is the brighter of the two, with a visibility magnitude of 4.5, according to SpaceWeather.com. While this technically puts it within visual range, most accounts suggest that both comets are best viewed through binoculars or a telescope. However, they do show up in long-exposure camera shots.

For those eager to catch a glimpse of these icy visitors, the best viewing time this week is around 7 p.m., an hour after sunset. Comet Lemmon can be spotted in the northwest horizon within the Bootes constellation, near the 'handle' of the Big Dipper (Saptrishi), setting around 7:45 p.m.. SWAN is positioned a bit higher in the sky, just above the Sagittarius constellation, towards the southern horizon.

Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) was discovered on September 10, 2025, by Ukrainian amateur astronomer Vladimir Bezugly, using images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). This comet will not return to our solar system for another 20,000 years. Comet Lemmon, designated C/2025 A6, was discovered in January 2025 by a telescope searching for near-Earth asteroids and will be visible again in the year 3175.

Comets are essentially frozen leftovers from the formation of the solar system billions of years ago. As they approach the sun, they heat up and release gases, creating their characteristic tails. The green hue observed in these comets is due to gases streaming off their surfaces.

The simultaneous appearance of two large comets is a rare occurrence, making this a "double delight" for stargazers. The most recent comet visible to the naked eye was C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE), which appeared in mid-2020. If Lemmon brightens further, it could potentially become the next truly visible comet.

Experts recommend seeking out dark sky locations, away from city lights, to enhance visibility. While binoculars are currently needed for optimal viewing, there is anticipation that Comet Lemmon might become visible to the naked eye in the coming days.