Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 4183: 1982i
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Circular No. 4183
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
TWX 710-320-6842 ASTROGRAM CAM Telephone 617-495-7244/7440/7444
PERIODIC COMET HALLEY (1982i)
G. Munch, H. Hippelein, F. Hessmann and R. Gredel, Max-Planck-
Institut fur Astronomie, report measurements of [C I] 985-nm emission
with the 1.2-m telescope of the Calar Alto Observatory and a
2-etalon spectrometer at 0.04-nm resolution in field integrated
mode. On 1985 Dec. 14, through a 2' stop centered on the nucleus,
an emission rate of E = 8 +/- 1 Ray and a radial velocity within 1
km/s of the ephemeris value (IHW orbit No. 22) were found. At 4'
tailward from the nucleus E ~ 2 Ray, only 5 percent of that in
airglow OH(3,0)P2(2) at 984.848 nm. The corresponding metastable
production rate along the sampled nucleus centered column is Q =
10**26.7/s. Essentially the same results were found on Dec. 22.
W. E. Celnik, R. Schulz and K. Weissbauer, European Southern
Observatory, report tail lengths on Feb. 20.4 UT of 59' (red), 20'
(blue), 40' (CO+) and 33' (CN), and an intense antitail in p.a.
90. On Feb. 21.4 the tail lengths were 2.5 deg (red), 4.3 deg (blue),
2.6 deg (CO+) and 0.75 deg (CN). On Feb. 22.4 there were ion tails in
p.a. 106 and 92, and dust tails in p.a. 65, 50, 34, 358 and
322; maximum tail lengths were 4.1 deg (red, blue), 1.8 deg (CO+) and
0.57 deg (CN). On Feb. 24.4 the CO+ tail length was 9.2 deg; a bright
CO+ core of diameter 15" was embedded in a faint, diffuse coma 9'2 in
diameter; in red light concentric bow shocks were detected at
distances 14", 60" and 140" from the core. CCD observations by
R. M. West, H. Pedersen and B. Gelly on Feb. 23 showed the tail
structure reported on IAUC 4179 changed as follows: 1, broad,
diffuse to 75' in p.a. 270, strong kink at 225, maximum length
240', additional sharp loop to south 45' in 260; 2, stong,
diffuse, to 130' in 277; 3, diffuse to 100' in 286; 4, diffuse to
135' in 317; 5, diffuse, stubby, to 100' in 333; 6, strong,
narrow to 95' in 0 at west edge of broad, diffuse, with other
extreme 55' in 30; 7, sharp edge to 25' in 67. T. le Bertre
reports that infrared photometry shows variations of up to 1.5 mag
from day to day; representative are the data in L (diaphragm 30",
uncertainty generally 0.05 mag): Feb. 16.4 UT, -0.19; 17.4, +0.74;
18.4, -0.73; 19.4, +0.16; 20.4, -0.54; 22.4, +0.37; 23.4, +0.04.
Total visual magnitude estimates: Feb. 21.51 UT, 3.0 (Y.
Sheffer, Austin, TX, 7 x 50 binoculars); 22.13, 3.9 (R. Fleet,
Harare, Zimbabwe, 11 x 80 binoculars); 23.11, 3.5 (Fleet); 24.10,
3.0 (J. C. Bennett, Pretoria, South Africa, 0.13-m refractor);
25.11, 3.0 (J. Campos, Durban, South Africa, 0.13-m refractor).
1986 February 27 (4183) Brian G. Marsden
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