Local photographer captures rare Comet SWAN in Newcastle skies
Local Astrophotographer Angus Burns captured Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) from Newcastle, South Africa, and encourages locals to view it in the coming nights.
Despite days of rainy weather, the skies above Newcastle finally cleared last week, allowing local astrophotographer Angus Burns to capture Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN).
He photographed the comet from Oppi Berg Animal Farm outside Newcastle, using a Canon 60Da camera and a Redcat 51 telescope.
Burns collected 12 minutes and 40 seconds of data, which he later processed and stacked using Astro Pixel Processor.
Despite strong moonlight, the resulting image clearly revealed the comet.
What is Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN)?
According to Wikipedia, Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN), previously known as SWAN25B, is a long-period comet discovered on September 11, 2025, by amateur astronomer Vladimir Bezugly.
He identified it in images taken by the SWAN instrument aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
The discovery was soon confirmed by other astronomers.
At the time, the comet was estimated to have a magnitude of 7.4 and a tail around two degrees long.
Located in the constellation Virgo, it was best observed from the southern hemisphere, where it appeared higher in the sky after sunset.
Between August and September, the comet brightened rapidly, moving from magnitude 11 to magnitude 8.
On September 16, 2025, it peaked at an apparent magnitude of 6.2.
Astronomers believe it may brighten further, reaching magnitudes 4 to 6 when it makes its closest approach to Earth on October 20, 2025.
Interestingly, another comet, C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), is expected to brighten around the same time, possibly reaching magnitude 2–4.
C/2025 R2 is the 20th comet discovered through SOHO’s SWAN instrument, making it a significant astronomical find.
How to see the comet?
Burns encourages residents to take advantage of the clear skies in the coming nights and try spotting the comet themselves.
To help, he has shared two star maps to guide stargazers in locating it.
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