Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) Might Become Visible to the Naked Eye in October: Here's What We Know

A newly discovered comet is set to light up October skies, raising hopes it may soon be seen without aid. On September 10, Ukrainian observer Vladimir Bezugly identified a bright moving object in imagery from NASA's SOHO spacecraft, later confirmed as a comet. It was officially named Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) on September 15, becoming the 20th comet discovered using SOHO's Solar Wind Anisotropies (SWAN) camera. Since then, through binoculars and telescopes, observers in the Southern Hemisphere have reported viewing it.

Comet SWAN May Glow Near Naked-Eye Visibility in October Skies

As per the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams, the comet reached its closest point to the Sun on September 12 and will approach Earth most closely on October 21, on the basis of orbital calculations at a distance of 25 million miles. Recent estimates suggest its brightness is approximately magnitude +7, just outside the limits of naked-eye visibility; however, specialists like Seiichi Yoshida and Gideon Van Buitenen believe it may increase to +6, the point of visibility under dark conditions.

Observers mention Comet SWAN as a small, condensed coma with a faint tail. By mid-October, it will become easier to be visible from northern latitudes, climbing steadily higher in the southwest evening sky. Despite all, astronomers indicated that the gaseous makeup causes it to look dimmer.

The comet's magnitude is expected to remain around +6 from October 2 to 20, with a brief brightening around October 12. Despite potentially less brightness, it stays as a hopeful object. Predictions place its peak around magnitude +6 as it approaches closest to Earth on October 21. While faint and gaseous, it remains a promising binocular target for skywatchers across the globe.