Green Comet SWAN Fades Away Before Naked-Eye Spectacle
Comet SWAN (C/2025 F2), which was discovered in late March, has been disappointing skywatchers as it begins to fade away before it could be seen with the naked eye. This newly discovered comet was first observed by three citizen scientists using data from NASA-ESA’s SOHO spacecraft’s Solar Wind ANisotropies (SWAN) camera.
- The comet was initially expected to be visible during its close pass by the Sun on May 1.
- However, recent observations indicate that the comet is disintegrating and its visibility is rapidly decreasing, particularly its green cometary tail, which will be less visible in the coming weeks.
Comet SWAN’s Origins and Expected Visibility
Comet SWAN is believed to have originated from the Oort Cloud, a vast region beyond Pluto’s orbit that is home to billions of comets. As the comet nears the Sun, its ice begins to break apart, releasing gas and forming the characteristic tail.
- Comets, composed of ice, gas, dust, and rocky materials, are often considered relics of the early solar system.
- When these comets approach the Sun, the heat causes the icy components to vaporize, creating long tails that stretch for millions of kilometers.
Observations and Disintegration
Despite the early excitement surrounding Comet SWAN, astronomers are now concerned that the comet is disintegrating before it reaches its closest point to the Sun, known as the solar perigee.
- Qicheng Zang, a postdoctoral fellow at Lowell Observatory, mentioned in a recent interview that a remnant dust cloud from the comet will still be visible through telescopes for the next few weeks, but it is fading and spreading out.
- The comet’s disintegration means its once-promised spectacular show in the sky may no longer be possible.
Best Viewing Times and Locations
The comet had been expected to be visible in the constellation Andromeda in the northern hemisphere before sunrise until late April. However, with its current fading trajectory, this may not occur as planned.
- Experts had initially suggested that late April would be the ideal time to observe Comet SWAN with the naked eye, especially in the northern hemisphere.
- Those in the southern hemisphere were set to catch a glimpse of the comet in early May after sunset, but its disintegration may prevent this from happening.
While Comet SWAN was anticipated to be a thrilling celestial event, its fading appearance serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of comets. Even with technological advances and careful tracking, nature can alter the course of such astronomical phenomena.
