by 
This October, three icy wanderers will travel across that great dark sea — Comet Lemmon, Comet SWAN, and the interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS.
Each one is a ghost from the dawn of creation, carrying frozen memories older than Earth itself.
And if you’re patient — if you know where to look and how to listen — you can capture them on camera.
Not just as images, but as stories written in light.
There’s a certain kind of silence that only exists in autumn — the kind that feels alive.
It rolls down from the moors after sunset, weaving through the heather, stirring the still ponds of the Peak District.
The last light fades. The cold creeps in. And above you, the universe begins to wake.
“Comets are the nomads of the cosmos — passing through once, yet carrying the memory of eternity.”
~ Papa Bear ~
The Wanderers of October
C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) – The Green Visitor
Closest to Earth: October 21, 2025 (~0.60 AU / 89 million km)
Best Time: 19:00–22:00 BST
Direction: West–Northwest
Color: Emerald-green glow with faint white tail
Visibility: Possibly naked-eye in dark skies (mag ~4)
Discovered in January 2025 by the Mount Lemmon Observatory, this is October’s most promising comet.
It will shine low in the northwest sky after dusk — faint, mysterious, and tinged with green light from diatomic carbon gas reacting to sunlight.
From Stanage Edge or Bamford Edge, it’ll rise just above the horizon, perfectly framed for a long exposure or a time-lapse sequence.
C/2025 R2 (SWAN) – The Sunset Traveler
Closest to Earth: October 20, 2025 (~0.26 AU / 39 million km)
Best Time: 18:30–20:00 BST
Direction: Low Southwest
Brightness: Mag 5–6 — binocular visible
Best Spots: Cratcliffe Rocks, Winster Moor, or Thorpe Cloud
SWAN is a short-lived jewel — low on the horizon, visible only for a short window after sunset.
It glows softly against the golden edge of twilight, fading quickly as the stars take over.
You’ll want to be ready early. Set up your tripod while the sky is still blue. When the first stars appear, the comet will be there — silent, fleeting, and achingly beautiful.
3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1) – The Interstellar Stranger
Type: Interstellar comet (hyperbolic orbit, not bound to our Sun)
Visibility: Too faint for the naked eye (mag ~15)
Best Time: October 1–10, 04:00–05:00 BST
Direction: East–Southeast (pre-dawn)
Best Spots: Kinder Scout Plateau or Mam Tor Ridge
This one isn’t for the eye — it’s for the imagination.
ATLAS won’t be visible without a telescope, but its story is worth knowing. It comes from beyond our solar system — a traveler from another star, sweeping silently through our skies before vanishing forever.
Even unseen, it reminds us that the universe is not a quiet place.
It’s alive. It moves. It surprises.
The Time & Place
| Comet | Date Range | Best Time | Direction | Visibility | Suggested Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) | Oct 18–24 | 19:00–22:00 | West–Northwest | Brightest | Stanage Edge / Bamford Edge / Mam Tor / Kinder Scout / Grindslow Knoll / Dragon’s Back / Curbar Edge / Baslow Edge / Robin Hood’s Stride / Stanton Moor |
| C/2025 R2 (SWAN) | Oct 15–21 | 18:30–20:00 | Southwest (low) | Moderate | Stanage Edge / Bamford Edge / Mam Tor / Kinder Scout / Grindslow Knoll / Dragon’s Back / Curbar Edge / Baslow Edge / Robin Hood’s Stride / Stanton Moor |
| 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1) | Oct 1–10 | 04:00–05:00 | East–Southeast (low) | Faint (telescope only) | Stanage Edge / Bamford Edge / Mam Tor / Kinder Scout / Grindslow Knoll / Dragon’s Back / Curbar Edge / Baslow Edge / Robin Hood’s Stride / Stanton Moor |
The Gear of the Modern Explorer
You can chase comets with a professional DSLR or Mirrorless camera, or with the Galaxy S23/S24/S25 Ultra — a phone that, when used properly, behaves like a compact observatory. Both can capture the wonder — what matters is your understanding of light, timing, and patience.
DSLR / Mirrorless Essentials
Recommended Gear:
Camera with manual mode (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, etc.)
Lens: 14–35mm f/2.8 (wide) or 85–200mm (for comet detail)
Sturdy tripod
Remote shutter or timer
Headlamp (red light mode)
Extra batteries + memory cards
Lens warmer or hand warmers (the Peak’s dew is relentless)
DSLR Settings (Starting Point)
| Setting | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | Manual | Full control |
| Focus | Manual, Infinity | Stars sharp |
| Aperture | f/2.8 | Max light |
| Shutter | 10–25 s | Balance light & trails |
| ISO | 1600–3200 | Bright enough |
| White Balance | 4000 K | Natural night tone |
| File Format | RAW | Max detail for editing |
Papa Bear Pro Tip:
Use the 500 Rule to avoid star trails:
500 ÷ focal length = max seconds of exposure.
(Example: 500 ÷ 20mm = 25 seconds.)
Composition for DSLR Shots
Include foreground texture — rock edges, stone walls, ridgelines.
Keep horizon low to frame more sky.
Aim for the rule of thirds — the comet in the upper corner for drama.
If possible, add a human silhouette — it gives scale to infinity.
The Smartphone Observatory
The Samsung Galaxy Ultra is not a toy — it’s an instrument.
When set to Expert RAW + Astrophotography Mode, it can produce stunning long-exposure shots that rival beginner DSLR results.
Galaxy Ultra Astrophotography Setup
| Setting | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | Expert RAW → Astrophotography | Activates stacking |
| Duration | 4–10 minutes | Multiple exposures merged |
| Focus | Manual → ∞ | Sharp stars |
| ISO | 1600–3200 | Faint tail visibility |
| Shutter Speed | 20–30 s | Optimal range |
| White Balance | 3800–4200 K | Natural night color |
| RAW Capture | ON | Max data for editing |
| Timer | 2 s | Prevents shake |
Papa Bear Tip:
Use the phone’s constellation overlay in Astrophotography mode to line up where the comet should appear.
Then lock focus on a bright star before shooting.
Composition for Galaxy S23/24/25 Ultra
Position your phone low for a cinematic upward angle.
Use moorland silhouettes or lone trees to anchor your shot.
Avoid light pollution — drive 15–20 min beyond Sheffield’s glow.
Use manual focus zoom (x1 or x3) — higher zooms reduce clarity for stars.
“Phones may not see like telescopes, but they teach you to see with intention.”
~ Papa Bear ~
Post-Processing — Painting with Starlight
Editing is not cheating.
It’s how you turn the camera’s captured light into the emotion you felt that night.
DSLR Workflow (Lightroom / Photoshop)
Import RAW files.
Adjust White Balance: 3900–4200 K.
Lift Shadows: +20.
Lower Highlights: –30.
Add Clarity (+15) and Dehaze (+10).
Boost Vibrance (+10).
Stack multiple frames (DeepSkyStacker or Sequator).
Mobile Workflow (Lightroom Mobile / Snapseed)
Open RAW file.
Adjust Dehaze (+20) and Contrast (+10).
Lower Highlights, lift Shadows.
Crop to 16:9 or 21:9.
Add a touch of Vignette for focus.
“You’re not just editing pixels — you’re sculpting light that traveled millions of miles to find you.”
~ Papa Bear ~
Creating Cinematic Motion
To bring your shots to life, try a timelapse or hyperlapse sequence.
DSLR Timelapse
Use an intervalometer.
Shoot one frame every 20–30 seconds for 30–60 minutes.
Combine in post (24 fps sequence).
Galaxy Hyperlapse
Mode: Hyperlapse → Night Sky
Record: 15–30 minutes.
Result: smooth star drift with comet glide.
Add sound — ambient night audio or gentle wind — and you’ve made your own short film of the universe in motion.
The Meaning Beyond the Lens
When your shutter clicks and your breath fogs the air, you become a bridge between two worlds — the ancient and the now.
The light that touches your sensor tonight began its journey before your ancestors walked the earth.
Some of it comes from the birth of the Sun. Some, like the light of 3I/ATLAS, began in another star system entirely.
Every photo you take is a small act of remembrance — proof that we’re still curious, still searching, still capable of awe.
“We photograph the sky not to capture it — but to remember we’re part of it.”
~ Papa Bear ~
When the night is quiet, the gear packed, and the frost begins to bite, pause before heading home.
Look up one more time. That green shimmer above the ridge — that’s not just a comet. That’s a story billions of years in the making, shared with you for a heartbeat. Capture it. Honor it. And keep wandering — between earth and the infinite.
QUICK REFERENCE SETTINGS
DSLR / Mirrorless
| Setting | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Mode | Manual |
| Focus | Manual ∞ |
| Aperture | f/2.8 |
| Shutter | 20–25 s |
| ISO | 1600–3200 |
| WB | 4000 K |
| File | RAW |
Galaxy S23/S24/S25 Ultra
| Setting | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Mode | Expert RAW → Astrophotography |
| Duration | 4–10 min |
| ISO | 1600–3200 |
| Shutter | 20–30 s |
| WB | 3800–4200 K |
| RAW | ON |
| Timer | 2 s |
Capture Sequence
For Lemmon
Start: ISO 1600 / 25 s / f1.9 / 10 stacked frames.
Check focus on bright star.
Review after each sequence; adjust exposure if tail appears faint.
For SWAN
Start: ISO 2000 / 20 s / 7 stacked frames.
Shoot early twilight for contrast.
Tilt slightly upward to include horizon color.
For ATLAS
Not suitable for mobile — telescope or deep-sky camera required.
If you have a tracker mount, attempt pre-dawn shots (30–60 s @ ISO 3200).
🐾 Papa Bear’s Final Word
Adventure doesn’t end when the sun sets — it simply changes frequency. When you learn to listen to the silence, to frame the stars, to tell stories with light, you realize that the greatest journeys don’t always require distance.
Sometimes, they begin right where you stand — beneath a dark sky,
with a camera in your hand, and the universe unfolding above you.
“Every comet you photograph carries dust older than the Earth itself.
When that light hits your sensor, it’s touching you — across time and void.”~ Papa Bear ~
❓ Frequently Asked Questions: Astrophotography, Comets & Night Sky Shooting
During October 2025, three comets are expected to be visible from the Northern Hemisphere:
C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) — the brightest, possibly visible to the naked eye.
C/2025 R2 (SWAN) — visible through binoculars in the southwest after sunset.
3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1) — an interstellar comet, too faint for the naked eye but observable through telescopes.
The best time for observation in the UK (Peak District latitude) is mid to late October, under dark, moonless skies.
Yes — modern smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S23, S24, and S25 Ultra are powerful enough to capture comets and night skies.
Use Expert RAW → Astrophotography Mode, mount your phone on a tripod, set a 20–30 second exposure, ISO 1600–3200, and manual focus to infinity.
Stack multiple exposures (4–10 minutes total) for clearer tails and more color detail.
For DSLR or mirrorless cameras:
Mode: Manual
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter Speed: 20–25 seconds
ISO: 1600–3200
Focus: Manual, set to Infinity
White Balance: 4000 K
File Type: RAW
Always shoot from a dark-sky area, use a sturdy tripod, and follow the 500 Rule to prevent star trails (500 ÷ focal length = max exposure in seconds).
The best time is during astronomical twilight or two hours after sunset / before sunrise — when the sky is dark enough but not completely black.
Avoid full-moon nights and wait for clear, crisp conditions with minimal humidity.
For Comet Lemmon, aim for October 18–24, 19:00–22:00 BST.
Use astronomy apps like Stellarium, Sky Tonight, or Star Walk 2.
Enter your location and the comet’s name (e.g., “C/2025 A6 Lemmon”) — the app will show real-time position, direction, and altitude.
These apps also include augmented-reality overlays to guide your camera.
Use Lightroom, Photoshop, or Snapseed:
Adjust White Balance to ~4000 K.
Lift Shadows slightly (+20).
Lower Highlights (-30).
Add Clarity & Dehaze (+10–20).
Boost Vibrance for natural color.
Crop to a 16:9 cinematic frame for storytelling composition.
Stacking multiple exposures also enhances clarity and tail detail.
Start with what you have — even a smartphone.
Learn to:
Find dark skies.
Use manual focus and exposure.
Keep steady with a tripod.
Learn the sky using apps.
Then, expand into DSLR gear once you understand light, timing, and patience.
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