[meteorite-list] Possible Detection of a Short Tail Behind Comet 17P/Holmes

From: lebofsky at lpl.arizona.edu <lebofsky_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:02:18 -0700 (MST)
Message-ID: <4108.71.226.60.25.1193709738.squirrel_at_timber.lpl.arizona.edu>

For you non-astronomical types:

I-filter is 0.9 microns (800 nm)

J-filter is 1.25 microns (1250 nm)

Visible is about 0.6 microns

Larry

On Mon, October 29, 2007 5:29 pm, Ron Baalke wrote:
>

> POSSIBLE DETECTION OF A SHORT TAIL BEHIND COMET 17/P HOLMES
> Universite de Montreal
> October 29, 2007
>
>
> Montreal - The recent brightening of comet Holmes has
> spurred a frenzy of observations both by amateurs and professionals
> astronomers alike. All these observations reveal a tailless round
> yellowish fuzzball in the constellation Perseus. Near infrared images of
> comet P/17 Holmes, obtained with the 1.6m Ritchey-Chretien telescope at
> Mont Megantic Observatory (Qc, Canada), indicate a small tail-like
> feature next to the comet's head.
>
> The images were obtained by graduate student Sandie Bouchard and
> night assistant Bernard Malenfant on the morning of October 26, using
> SIMON, a Near Infrared Polarimetric Imager.
>
>
> A preliminary analysis, performed by astronomers Pierre Bastien and
> Rene Doyon from Universite de Montr?al and the Centre de Recherche en
> Astrophysique du Quebec (CRAQ) clearly shows a bright elongated feature
> surrounding the more luminous comet's coma. This elongated feature,
> probably a cloud of dust and gas, which resembles a small tail, is going
> out at position angle of 145 degrees (+/- 5 deg), measured from north and
> going east. This direction makes an angle of about 33 degrees relative to
> the Sun-comet direction. Although the images display tantalizing evidence
> of a tail, the direction of the feature does not point directly in the
> direction opposite to the Sun, as expected.
>
> For more information, contact:
> Dr. Pierre Bastien
> Universite de Montreal
> Tel: 1-514-343-5816
> Email: bastien at astro.umontreal.ca
>
>
> Image caption: The following raw images were taken with the NIR
> instrument SIMON. On both images East is up and North is right.
>
> Fig.1 : image taken with an I filter Oct 26 at 04:37 EDT (08:37 UT)
> Fig.2 : same as fig.1 but with a J filter taken at 04:10 EDT (08:10 UT).
>
>
> http://www.astro.umontreal.ca/~casca/PR/holmes_I.png
> http://www.astro.umontreal.ca/~casca/PR/holmes_J.png
>
>
> PIO Source:
> Robert Lamontagne
> Attache de presse/Press Officer
> Societe canadienne d'astronomie/Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA)
> Dept. de Physique Tel: 1-514-343-6111
> (p.3195)
> Universite de Montr?al Telecopieur:
> 1-514-343-2071
> C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-ville
> Montreal, Que. H3C 3J7 Courriel:
> lamont at astro.umontreal.ca
>
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>
Received on Mon 29 Oct 2007 10:02:18 PM PDT