Gliding through the stars, Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) displays a bright cyan coma and a strikingly long, detailed ion tail in this image from September 16, 2025. The comet’s tail is shaped by the solar wind, with intricate kinks and disconnections revealing real-time interactions between the comet’s plasma and the charged particles streaming from the Sun. The vivid greenish hue of the coma comes from diatomic carbon fluorescing under sunlight.

Captured with careful tracking to follow the comet’s motion, the image reveals both the fine filamentary structure of the tail and the sharp star field beyond. The scene is a reminder that comets are dynamic travelers, changing in brightness and appearance as they approach and recede from the Sun.