Today's Edition
ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)
Astronomers in the UAE have yet again jumped into the global spotlight after helping confirm the discovery of a new comet - currently labelled as "SWAN25F" - making the country the first in the Arab world to get it on record.
The find is still in its early stages of classification, but scientists at Abu Dhabi's Al-Khatim Astronomical Observatory managed to record a detailed image sequence on April 5 and submit their findings to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), earning the UAE the region's first entry in the comet's official observation log.
At 12th magnitude brightness, which puts it well out of range for the naked eye, SWAN25F appears as a small dot of light in a dark sky, the observatory said in a statement.
The UAE team used high-sensitivity imaging gear to capture eight one-minute shots and stitched them together to form a detailed eight-minute composite and track the comet's movement. In the final image, SWAN25F shows up as a bright dot, while nearby stars are stretched into streaks due to the comet's fast movements across the sky.
The observations are part of a standard astrometric procedure used to track and measure where a comet is and where it's headed. Since SWAN25F was only just spotted a few days earlier by international sky-watchers, the UAE's early data has come in at exactly the right moment, as each new measurement helps astronomers around the world map the comet's orbit with more precision.
The International Astronomical Center (IAC) confirmed the UAE's involvement in a post on X, saying: "The Al-Khatim Astronomical Observatory captured images of Comet SWAN25F this morning, Saturday, April 5, 2025, from Abu Dhabi.
Astrometry observations were conducted to accurately determine the comet's location and its changes over time. The observations were sent to the International Astronomical Union and have now been included in the observation database."
As of now, the UAE's submission is the only one from the Arab world listed in the comet's IAU database, the statement added. While the object has yet to receive a permanent name or number, the images and data collected by Emirati astronomers will remain part of its discovery record.
The Al-Khatim Observatory is operated by the IAC and has been steadily building its capabilities. Team members involved in the observation include Dr. Mohammad Odeh, Director of the IAC, along with Shaikha Alshamsi and Nidhal Guessoum from the American University of Sharjah, according to discovery submission records published on NASA's website.
