Photometric and spectroscopic analysis of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 activity
Abstract
We carried out photometric and spectroscopic observations of comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 at the 6-m BTA telescope (SAO RAS, Russia) and the 1.6-m telescope of the National Laboratory for Astrophysics (LNA, Brazil) on February 20, 2012, and on May 31, 2011, respectively. The spectra revealed the presence of CO+ and N2+ emissions in the cometary coma at a distance of 5.25 AU from the Sun. The ratio [N2+]/[CO+] within the projected slit is 0.013. The images obtained through BVR filters showed a bright, dust coma, indicating a high level of activity. We estimated a colour index and a colour excess for the comet. The parameter Afρ, which is used as an indicator of a cometary activity, was measured to be 2584±50 cm in the reference optical aperture of ρ=104 km. The dust production constituted 33 kg/s and 9.3·103 kg/s, it was obtained using different methods. We also investigated the morphology of the comet using image enhancement techniques and found two jets in the coma.
- Publication:
-
Planetary and Space Science
- Pub Date:
- February 2016
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.pss.2015.12.001
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2012.10705
- Bibcode:
- 2016P&SS..121...10I
- Keywords:
-
- Comets;
- Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1;
- Photometry;
- Spectroscopy;
- Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, 6 figures