NASA's James Webb Telescope and SPHEREx mission are collaborating on the study of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
Oregonians will have an opportunity to view a triple cosmic event in October, as two rare comets will be visible alongside the Orionid meteor shower.
The Orionid meteor shower will peak tonight, Oct. 21, and will continue until Nov. 22. The Orionid meteor shower is known for its brighter-than-normal fireballs, which may be more visible since the shower occurs during the new moon, according to NASA.
During its peak, Oregon stargazers can spot up to 20 meteors an hour streaking across the night sky.
Comet Lemmon and Comet SWAN became visible to Oregon stargazers Oct. 20, and will both reach peak brightness through Oct. 31 as they approach close to Earth.
The bright green Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) will pass by Earth within 56 million miles, while Comet Swan (C/2025 R2) will come even closer to Earth, at roughly 24 million miles, according to Space.com.
When does the Orionid meteor shower peak?
The meteor shower will peak on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
When is the best time to see the meteor shower?
The best time to see the meteor shower is just before midnight on the night it peaks, until around 2 a.m., according to NASA.
Where should you face to see the Orionid meteor shower?
The Orionid meteor shower is often seen near the Orion constellation, so look towards the southeast, as meteors can look like they're coming from that direction, according to NASA.
But, stargazers might be able to catch a glimpse of the meteors coming from any direction in the sky.
What comets are visible in October?
Comet Lemmon, named C/2025 A6 Lemmon, and Comet SWAN, named C/2025 R2 Swan, are expected to shine bright between Oct. 20-21.
However, Lemmon's spookiest approach will come around Halloween 2025, when it could shine its brightest around Oct. 31-Nov. 2, according to Starwalk.
When is Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon visible?
Comet Lemmon is inbound and making a close approach Oct. 21, 2025, (the new moon). It will brighten even more near Halloween and through early November. NASA says while it's tough to predict the brightness of comets, estimates are Lemmon will be best seen in the evening sky near bright stars like Arcturus in Boötes by looking northwest after sunset.
How to look for Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon
To try to view Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon, head out about 90 minutes after sunset 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!
When is Comet C/2025 R2 Swan visible?
Comet SWAN, or C/2025 R2 Swan, is also visible in the evening sky, but in the southwest. SWAN is slightly dimmer, although recent observations put it on a brightness magnitude of 5.6, meaning it may be visible to the naked eye as a very faint object in the dark night sky.
SWAN is best positioned for observers in the Southern Hemisphere, so it might be trickier to spot than Lemmon. On Oct. 16, SWAN was positioned about 5 degrees to the upper left of the star Xi Serpentis, in the eastern section of the constellation Serpens.
How to look for Comet C/2025 R2 Swan
To try to view Comet C/2025 R2 Swan, look in the hours following sunset, before it sinks low on the south-southwest horizon. Use a stargazing app, like Stellarium, to find the comet.
Unlike stars and planets, comets often have diffuse comas and long, faint tails that can span a significant portion of the sky. For that reason, using lower magnification on your equipment works best.
Contributing: Lori Comstock and Julia Gomez, USA Today
Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@gannett.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.