Overview

• Both comets are currently observable with binoculars, with SWAN low in the southwest after dusk and Lemmon higher either in the early evening or before dawn.
• SWAN reached its brightest over the weekend and is making its closest pass around October 20 at a distance reported between about 30 and 40 million kilometers.
• Lemmon comes nearest on October 21 at just under 90 million kilometers and may become visible to the naked eye from dark locations late in the month, with the best prospects around October 28–31.
• Germany’s weather service forecasts the best viewing Sunday night in northern and eastern regions, with thicker clouds further west and a waning Moon unlikely to hinder observations.
• There is no collision threat; SWAN was detected only in September in solar-observatory images from the Sun’s direction, and both comets should remain viewable into early to mid-November.