While pickings are slim for most visual observers, there are plenty of objects within range of large visual telescopes and imaging scopes of any size. The only object that might be brighter than 12th magnitude this month is the frequently outbursting comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, observable as soon as it gets dark in the evening. Several comets are expected to become 10th magnitude or brighter over the next 12 to 18 months. Updates on the current brightness and observability of 24P/Schaumasse, 88P/Howell, 210P/Christensen, C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos), C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), and C/2025 K1 (ATLAS).

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights at https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/966825-alpo-comet-news-for-june-2025/

C/2025 F2 (SWAN) provided some excitement in April. A surprise bright discovery, the comet peaked at 7th magnitude early in the month before starting a slow fade and growing more diffuse. The disintegration of the SWAN ended any hope of the comet becoming a brighter object at its May 1 perihelion. As May begins, SWAN is a very diffuse evening object at around 9th magnitude. The only other comet expected to be brighter than 12th magnitude, and perhaps only if it has another outburst, is 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, which is also in the evening sky.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights at https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/964016-alpo-comet-news-for-may-2025/

I was really considering skipping this month’s ALPO Comet News due to a lack of bright comets. Luckily, a new bright comet has recently been discovered in SOHO SWAN spacecraft image data. C/2025 F2 (SWAN) is currently around magnitude 8.0 in the morning sky, though it is only visible from the northern hemisphere. As the comet approaches its May 1 perihelion at 0.33 au, it may brighten to 5^th magnitude by the end of the month as it shifts from the morning to the evening sky. However, it will be rising/setting around the end/start of astronomical twilight.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights at https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/960331-alpo-comet-news-for-april-2025/

The last months of 2024 and the first month of 2025 saw a flurry of bright comet activity. Unfortunately, the middle months of 2025 are expected to experience a bright comet drought with no comets expected to become brighter than 10th magnitude until late in the year.

Currently, the best comets are outbursting 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann in the evening sky at 10-11th magnitude, departing C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) in the morning sky, also at 10-11th magnitude, and the diffuse remains of C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) for southern hemisphere observers.

The next reasonably bright comet may be newly announced C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), which will be a northern hemisphere-only object, peaking at 9th magnitude or perhaps a few magnitudes brighter in October and November.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights at https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/956463-alpo-comet-news-for-march-2025//

It’s been a wild last few months for comet observers, with not one but two comets reaching negative magnitudes. Though both C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) and C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) were at their brightest when within a few degrees of the Sun, both were observable in bright twilight and were still close to 0th to 1st magnitude as they entered a dark sky.

In February, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) fades from 10th to 11th magnitude for northern hemisphere observers. C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) is still a naked-eye object with a tail up to 10 degrees long, but only for southern hemisphere observers. The comet's continued brightness and photogenicity are amazing since the nucleus of ATLAS disintegrated around January 19/20, about a week after perihelion. The only other comet currently brighter than magnitude 12 is the outbursting Centaur comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, which is near opposition in Leo this month.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights at https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/953681-alpo-comet-news-for-february-2025/