iN PHOTOS: Spectacular roundup of October celestial events in Kamloops, Okanagan

October has been filled with celestial events in skies over Kamloops and the Okanagan including a supermoon, meteor showers and rare comets, and local sky watchers used cameras and telescopes to gather images of them.

The full Harvest Moon reached peak illumination on Oct. 6 and was the first of three supermoons in a row. A supermoon is a full moon that appears while at its closest point to Earth, making it bigger and brighter than normal.

Meteors from two showers fell this month. The Draconids reached peak activity on Oct. 8, but were drowned out by the light of the full moon this year. The Orionids on the other hand peaked during a moonless sky on Oct. 21.

This month two rare comets came into view through binoculars and backyard telescopes.

First discovered in January, Comet Lemmon flew by Earth on Oct. 21. On its approach to the sun, heat and energy turned the comet’s icy deposits into gas, creating a tail and coma, a glowing cloud around it, according to Space.com.

Comet SWAN was discovered in early September 2025 with solar observatory imagery, according to NASA. It reached its closest approach to the sun on Sept. 12 and got close to the inner solar system, which created solar heating and outgassing, creating a tail and coma.

This comet was most visible from Earth in October, particularly from the Northern Hemisphere and made its closest approach to Earth on Oct. 20. Estimates place its orbital period at over 20,000 years, so the comet won’t return for many human lifetimes.

These comets will be visible until early November, potentially getting bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.