"For me, it's like a hunt": an astronomer from Crimea discovers a new comet. Check out the stunning photo!

Astronomer from Crimea Gennady Borisov has discovered yet another comet, marking the 14th in his count. It was observed in 30 observatories worldwide, but only five scientists, including the Crimean astronomer, were able to confirm that the celestial object is indeed a comet. Borisov was the first to report this, securing his priority in the discovery. The Minor Planet Center has designated the object as S/2025 B2 (Borisov).

“I conducted a more extensive search in the northern sky, closer to the constellation Camelopardalis. I took images from about ten locations and this object appeared. Most likely, I was lucky. Because there are very few good nights for observing right now. There are only two to three suitable nights each month,” said the amateur astronomer to KP-Crimea.

The comet is moving slowly across the sky, with its brightness remaining nearly constant. It is not visible to the naked eye and is only accessible for telescopic observations, the astronomer explains. It will be observed in this mode for several more years, with all data, including refined orbital information, being submitted to the MPC.

The new object was discovered by the astronomer closer to the constellation Camelopardalis. Photo: Gennady Borisov

“The comet is very faint because it is located far away, at a distance of about 8.5 astronomical units... Its orbit is almost parabolic, perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic—the plane of the planets' orbits in our Solar System. The distance is close to Saturn, but it does not pass near it, as it is oriented perpendicularly. The orbital period is 400,000 to 500,000 years,” notes Gennady Borisov.

The closest approach of S/2025 B2 (Borisov) to the Sun will be in September 2026, when it will become twice as bright. However, it will never come close to Earth.

“If we consider its brightness and reflectivity, its size could be around 30 kilometers. The core is 3-10 kilometers, while the rest is the coma—a cloud of dust and gas,” says the astronomer. “Essentially, it’s a typical comet, but I find it interesting. It’s like going on a hunt and then hanging my trophies on the walls.”

Gradually, the comet will move away, and it can be observed through telescopes in half a million years.

Recall that in November 2024, Gennady Borisov became the discoverer of the 13th comet, which was officially named C/2024 V1 (Borisov). He had been tracking it for over a year.