A newly discovered comet, known as Comet Lemmon or C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), is currently visible over Ireland, giving skywatchers a rare glimpse of an icy visitor as it makes its closest approach to Earth.
Astronomy enthusiast and storm chaser Martin McKenna, of Nightskyhunter, captured a striking timelapse of the comet on Tuesday evening as the clouds cleared over the rural Co Derry village of Glenullin.
In recent weeks, Comet Lemmon’s tail and coma have become increasingly visible, with observers reporting strong binocular views from dark-sky sites across Ireland.
The comet can currently be found low in the northwestern sky after nightfall, around 8pm, in the constellation Boötes, near the bright star Arcturus. Over the coming days it will drift into the constellation Serpens.
Comets like Lemmon are made of ancient material left over from the birth of the Solar System more than 4.5 billion years ago, and studying them provides valuable insights into the early conditions that shaped planets such as Earth.
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