Photometry, imaging and rotation period of comet 46P/Wirtanen during its 2018 apparition
Abstract
We report on photometry, imaging and the rotation period of the Jupiter Family Comet (JFC) 46P/Wirtanen (hereafter 46P) observed with both TRAPPIST telescopes (TN and TS). We monitored the comet regularly during 8 months, following the evolution of the production rates of the gaseous species, e.g. OH, NH, CN, C3 and C2, as well as the evolution of the Afrho parameter, a dust proxy. Measurements along the orbit of the production rates and the relative abundance with respect to CN and OH will be discussed. We measured the rotation period of the comet using high cadence observations of the CN flux on several nights, we obtained a value of (9.2±0.5) hr on Dec. 9, 2018. The comparison of the coma morphology exhibited by the gas species and the dust will be presented.
- Publication:
-
EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019
- Pub Date:
- September 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019EPSC...13.1036M