A brand new comet has been spotted, and it’s officially known as C/2025 R2 (SWAN), and it’s getting brighter by the day.
This cosmic wanderer was first discovered by the Solar Wind Anisotropies (SWAN) instrument on a spacecraft called SOHO. It’s already shining at a magnitude of 7, which means you can spot it with a good pair of binoculars or even a camera from your own backyard.
Right now, our friends in the Southern Hemisphere have the best seats in the house for this celestial show. But don’t worry, my northern skywatching friends, as the comet pulls away from the sun’s glare, it’s expected to become a more visible sight for us, especially for those of you in the southern United States.
Comet SWAN is on a truly epic journey. Early analysis suggests it’s on a 22,554-year orbit around the sun. That means this is a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to see this icy visitor! Its closest approach to Earth is expected to be around October 12-19, 2025, and it might get as bright as a magnitude of 5.8, making it even easier to spot with both binoculars and small backyard telescopes.
So, how do you find it? Get out your binoculars and start your star-hop! The comet is currently cruising between the Red Planet, Mars, and the bright star Spica in the constellation Virgo. It’s a great opportunity to get a close-up view of the comet’s impressive tail as it glides through our cosmic neighborhood.
