A photographer from Lincolnshire, England has captured a remarkable image of Comet C/2025 A6, also known as Comet Lemmon, as it appeared dramatically positioned over a life-size Lancaster bomber sculpture in Norton Disney. Steve Fearn, 52, described himself as feeling "very lucky" to have photographed the celestial visitor above the memorial titled "On Freedom's Wings," which honors the Royal Air Force crews who served during World War Two.
Comet Lemmon was first detected in January by astronomers at the Mount Lemmon Survey in the United States and has since become a popular target for stargazers and astrophotographers. Fearn expressed his excitement about the unique opportunity, saying it was "quite a buzz, capturing something so unique" as he managed to frame the comet perfectly above the historic aircraft sculpture. The photographer noted that the comet is particularly striking due to its distinctive blue ion tail, which made the capture especially satisfying.
The remarkable photograph also reveals an additional celestial phenomenon – a grey streak of light crossing the sky, which Fearn believes was fuel exhaust from a SpaceX rocket launch. This unexpected bonus added another layer of interest to an already extraordinary astronomical photograph. Fearn explained that capturing the image required specialized equipment, specifically a tracking mount that counteracts Earth's rotation and allows photographers to follow objects as they move across the night sky.
The timing of this photograph was particularly fortuitous, as Fearn had been struggling with recent poor weather conditions that made comet observation and photography challenging. Despite these obstacles, his persistence paid off with this stunning result. This isn't Fearn's first success with comet photography – he has previously captured images of other notable comets including Comet Neowise and Comet Atlas, demonstrating his expertise in astronomical photography.
For those interested in viewing Comet Lemmon themselves, the comet can be observed through binoculars or telescopes, though the best viewing conditions require dark skies away from light pollution. The comet reached its closest approach to Earth on October 21, when it was approximately 56 million miles (90 million kilometers) away from our planet. Astronomers and amateur stargazers can expect the comet to remain visible through the beginning of November, providing additional opportunities for observation and photography before it continues its journey through the solar system.
