Pune: Astronomy enthusiasts are gearing up for some exciting celestial events promising good views of the night sky post-Oct. “There is quite a bit of excitement in astronomy circles about the C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) comet, which is likely to be visible during Oct this year. However, visibility depends on the conditions of the sky,” astro photographer Paresh Kakote, said. A lot of astro photographers visit drier regions of Maharashtra and Kutch in Gujarat to get good pictures of the night sky during astronomical events this season. Sept is also a good month to view the night sky from regions like Ladakh and remote villages. Astronomy enthusiasts also said that there is a partial solar eclipse this month; however, it will not be visible from India. There are also some supermoons expected in Oct, Nov, and Dec, all offering larger and brighter than usual full moons.Sandip Shelar, who runs Stargazing Mumbai, and has conducted over 7,500 events since 2014, said, “The big astronomical event we are watching for is the Leonids meteor shower, which happens in mid-Nov. This year, there are chances of better visibility because the moonlight is expected to be minimal.”Observers in India are also looking forward to the Geminids meteor showers, which are active in Dec. The showers are expected to peak during mid-Dec. “The frequency of Geminids is more than the Leonids. They can be observed in good numbers from villages, away from city lights and pollution,” said Umesh Ghude, founder of the Amateur Astronomy Club. The club will be hosting its next event in Nov at Naneghat for stargazing in the winter sky.Kirti Chavan, a resident of Kondhwa, plans to visit Naneghat to view the Milky Way. “I have heard that the weather is perfect and there is minimal light pollution starting Nov. I am looking at getting some good shots of the Milky Way and star clusters. It will also help me connect with fellow astro enthusiasts,” she said. Pics courtesy: Umesh Ghude
