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Related papers: Photometric observations of distant active comets

200 papers

We present initial observations of the interstellar body 2I/(2019 Q4) Borisov taken to determine its nature prior to the perihelion in 2019 December. Images from the Nordic Optical Telescope show a prominent, morphologically stable dust…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2020-01-08 David Jewitt , Jane Luu

Comet C/2006 W3 (Christensen) was observed in November 2009 at 3.3 AU from the Sun with Herschel. The PACS instrument acquired images of the dust coma in 70- and 160-micrometers filters, and spectra covering several H2O rotational lines.…

We identified a new ultra-distant comet C/2019 E3 (ATLAS) exhibiting preperihelion cometary activity at heliocentric distances $\gtrsim\!20$ au, making it the fourth member of this population after C/2010 U3 (Boattini), C/2014 UN$_{271}$…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2024-01-10 Man-To Hui , Robert Weryk , Marco Micheli , Zhong Huang , Richard Wainscoat

We present first measurements of the degree of linear polarization of distant comets C/2010 S1 (LINEAR) and C/2010 R1 (LINEAR) at heliocentric distances r= 5.9 - 7.0 AU. Observations were carried out with the SCORPIO-2 focal reducer at the…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2015-06-29 Oleksandra V. Ivanova , Janna M. Dlugach , Viktor L. Afanasiev , Volodymyr M. Reshetnyk , Pavlo P. Korsun

We present the analysis of the polarimetric and spectral data obtained for the dynamically new comet C/2012\,J1 (Catalina) when it was at a distance of 3.17~AU from the Sun. The observations were made at the prime focus of the 6-m BTA…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2015-09-16 O. Ivanova , O. Shubina , A. Moiseev , V. Afanasiev

The spectra and images obtained through broadband BVR filters for Jupiter famaly comet P/2011 P1 were analyzed. We observed the comet on November 24, 2011, when its heliocentric distance was 5.43 AU. Two dimensional long slit spectra and…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2021-01-13 Pavlo Korsun , Oleksandra Ivanova , Viktor Afanasiev , Irina Kulyk

We studied C/2025 D1 (Groeller), a long-period comet with an unprecedented perihelion distance of 14.1 au, using archival observations. The data reveals that it had been active at inbound heliocentric distances $r_{\rm H} \gtrsim 20$ au.…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2026-01-14 Man-To Hui , Robert Weryk , Marco Micheli , Sam Deen , David J. Tholen , Jianchun Shi , Xian Shi , Richard Wainscoat

We present a photometric and dynamical study of comet C/2010 U3 (Boattini), which was seen active in prediscovery data as early as 2005 November at a new inbound record heliocentric distance $r_{\rm H} = 25.8$ au. Two outburst events around…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2019-04-17 Man-To Hui , Davide Farnocchia , Marco Micheli

We study the development of activity in the incoming long-period comet C/2017 K2 over the heliocentric distance range 9 < r_H < 16 AU. The comet continues to be characterized by a coma of sub-millimeter and larger particles ejected at low…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2021-03-24 David Jewitt , Yoonyoung Kim , Max Mutchler , Jessica Agarwal , Jing Li , Harold Weaver

Eleven years after its perihelion, comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) is still active. Between October 20--22, 2007, we detected a diffuse coma of 180x10^3$km in diameter with a slight elongation toward N/S direction. The integrated brightness was…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-11-13 Gy. M. Szabo , L. L. Kiss , K. Sarneczky

We observed Comet C/Siding Spring using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) during its close approach to Mars. The high spatial resolution images obtained through the F689M, F775W, and F845M filters reveal the characteristics of the dust coma.…

We present photometry on 23 Jupiter Family Comets (JFCs) observed at large heliocentric distance, primarily using the 2.5m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT). Snap-shot images were taken of 17 comets, of which 5 were not detected, 3 were active…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-11-13 Colin Snodgrass , Stephen C. Lowry , Alan Fitzsimmons

Orbital elements of C2011 L4 (PanStarrs) Oort cloud comet, computed by MPC (Minor Planet Center, Minor Planet Electronic Circular 2012-T08), show that the closest approach to the Sun occurred on 2013 March 10th, at about 0.3 A.U., then…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2016-08-04 Toni Scarmato

Long period comet C/2014 B1 (Schwartz) exhibits a remarkable optical appearance, like that of a discus or bi-convex lens viewed edgewise. Our measurements in the four years since discovery reveal a unique elongated dust coma whose…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2019-02-20 David Jewitt , Yoonyoung Kim , Jane Luu , Ariel Graykowski

We present an analysis of the photometric and spectroscopic observations of the split comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS). Observations were carried out on the 14th and 16th of April 2020 when the heliocentric distances of the comet were 1.212 and…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2021-09-22 Oleksandra Ivanova , Igor Luk'yanyk , Dušan Tomko , Alexei Moiseev

We observed comet 96P/Machholz 1 on a total of 9 nights before and after perihelion during its 2017/2018 apparition. Both its unusually small perihelion distance and the observed fragmentation during multiple apparitions make 96P an object…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2019-05-01 Nora L. Eisner , Matthew M. Knight , Colin Snodgrass , Michael S. P. Kelley , Alan Fitzsimmons , Rosita Kokotanekova

We report high spectral resolving power optical observations of comet C/2017\,K2 (PanSTARRS) as it approached the Sun. This comet was discovered when it was 16\,{\sc au} from the Sun. At discovery, the comet had a large and relatively…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2025-11-04 Anita L. Cochran , Adam J. McKay , Youssef Moulane

Remote investigations of the ancient solar system matter has been traditionally carried out through the observations of long-period (LP) comets that are less affected by solar irradiation than the short-period counterparts orbiting much…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2016-12-14 K. Sarneczky , Gy. M. Szabo , B. Csak , J. Kelemen , G. Marschalko , A. Pal , R. Szakats , T. Szalai , E. Szegedi-Elek , P. Szekely , K. Vida , J. Vinko , L. L. Kiss

A photometric method is described for accurately quantifying the brightness of short-period comets far from perihelion. The method utilizes the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Catalog (Data Release 7) as a homogeneous source of reference star…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2010-06-22 Richard Miles

We report on narrowband photometry and extensive imaging observations of comet C/Lulin (2007 N3) obtained at Lowell Observatory during 2008 and 2009. Enhanced CN images revealed a double corkscrew morphology with two near-polar jets…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2018-09-26 Allison N. Bair , David G. Schleicher , Matthew M. Knight