Time-lapse footage shows a scorching meteor glowing brightly before it breaks apart over Nova Scotia, Canada.
The Orionid meteor shower peaked overnight Monday into Tuesday, Oct. 20-21. But that wasn't the only astronomical event lighting up the sky.
In a rare double cosmic treat, stargazers this fall can glimpse two comets -- Lemmon and SWAN -- sweeping across the heavens just as the Orionids fade. Both are now visible, but Comet Lemmon will linger into late October and early November for its brightest display, while Comet SWAN's prime viewing window falls in mid-October.
Here's what to know about the comets, where to see them, and when they'll shine brightest.
When can I see Comet Lemmon?
Comet Lemmon's spookiest approach will come around Halloween, when it's expected to glow brightest Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, according to Starwalk.
Lemmon has reached a magnitude +6 on the detection limit of the human eye, which technically means it could be seen without a telescope or binoculars, if the sky is perfectly dark. Lemmon was first discovered in January 2025 by the Mount Lemmon Survey, which uses a 60-inch telescope at Mt. Lemmon, Arizona.
When is Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon visible?
Comet Lemmon approached Earth on Oct. 21, 2025 (the new moon) but will brighten even more near Halloween 2025 and through early November. NASA said while it's tough to predict the brightness of comets, estimates say Lemmon will be best seen in the evening sky near bright stars like Arcturus in Boötes by looking northwest after sunset.
To spot it, first find when the sun sets at your location. Then, head out about 90 minutes after with a pair of binoculars or a telescope, and look toward the northwest. You'll notice each night it'll be making a climb northward.
The next time Comet Lemmon will make its closest approach is in about 1,150 years, so don't wait!
Where to see Comet Lemmon near Reno
Going to a place with dark skies makes stars, meteors and comets shine brighter. For the best comet viewing, residents can escape the bright lights of Reno to nearby locations, including:
When will Halley's Comet appear next?
All this comet talk has stirred interest in Halley's Comet, the most famous of all comets that appears twice in a human lifetime. Halley's Comet is expected to appear again around July 28, 2061, according to Space.com. Right now, Comet 1P/Halley is in the constellation of Hydra, known as the "female water snake" constellation close to the celestial equator.
When did Halley's Comet last appear?
Halley's Comet last appeared February 1986, although it was the worst possible viewing circumstances for Earth observers being that it was out of sight and on the opposite side of the midwinter sun. However, midsummer 2061 promises a much better view -- at least 10 times brighter, Space.com says.
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.