Thermal Infrared Imaging of Comet p/ Halley
Abstract
Thermal infrared images (λ = 10.8, 12.8 and 19.2 μm) of comet P/Halley were obtained on 1986 March 28.7, 29.7 and 30.7 UT using the NASA-MSFC 20-pixel bolometer array at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. A preliminary analysis of the observations shows the following results: (1) the presence of spatial structure indicative of dust ejection occurring mainly on the sunward side of the nucleus; (2) a dust coma deficient in large particles (radius ≳ 100 μm) compared with that of comet P/Giacobini-Zinner; (3) temporal variability which is consistent with an extrapolation of a quasi-sinusoidal lightcurve observed by IUE on 1986 March 23, 24, and 25; (4) a maximum, at the nuclear condensation, of the color temperature and the strength of the silicate emission feature.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- November 1987
- Bibcode:
- 1987A&A...187..601C