Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 4189: 1982i
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Circular No. 4189
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)
R. P. McCoy, G. R. Carruthers, and R. R. Meier, Naval Research
Laboratory; and C. B. Opal, University of Texas, Austin, report a
rocket observation of P/Halley on Feb. 24.5 UT. High-quality
images of the entire coma at wavelengths of H I 121.6 nm, O I 130.4
nm, and C I 156.1 and 165.7 nm, were obtained. The comae were easily
detectable out to the following distances from the nucleus: H I,
5.0 x 10**6 km; O I, 1.5 x 10**6 km; and C I, 1.0 x 10**6 km.
P. D. Feldman, T. N. Woods, K. Dymond, and D. Sahnow, Johns
Hopkins University, also report rocket observations made on Feb.
26.5 UT. Ultraviolet spectra in the wavelength range 120 to 175 nm
were obtained with a long-slit spectrograph giving 10" resolution
along an 8' slit. In addition to the strong H I, O I and C I
emissions noted above, several bands of the CO fourth positive system
are seen, as is C II 133.5-nm emission, which shows a clear extension
in the tailward direction. Both of these experiment payloads
are being refurbished for more rocket flights on March 13.5.
H. Pedersen, R. Vio, and R. M. West, European Southern Observatory,
La Silla, telex that a clear disconnection event 9.3 deg from
the nucleus was seen on Mar. 5.38 UT on images obtained with the
ESO wide-field CCD camera through the standard IHW 426-nm filter.
Four consecutive 10-min exposures showed an outward motion of ~
11'/hr (~ 150 km/s projected). The tail length was > 15 deg. West
also found that on Feb. 27.4 the nucleus was 8" across and
elongated in p.a. ~ 250, while on subsequent days it appeared 2" or
less in diameter and round, from red photographic plates (5-sec
exposures). T. le Bertre reports infrared L (3.8 micron) magnitudes
using a 30" diaphragm (cf. IAUC 4183): Feb. 24, 0.46; 25, 0.73; 26,
0.38; 27, 0.66; 28, 0.44; Mar. 1, 2.00; 2, 0.75; 3, 1.16. The
episodic outbursts inducing day-to-day variations of up to 1.5
magnitudes are still occurring and could be periodic (P ~ 58 hr?). A
particularly quiet state was noted on Mar. 1.4, with a significant
change in colors.
Further total visual magnitude estimates: Feb. 25.53 UT, 3.0
(R. Keen, Mt. Thorodin, CO, naked eye); 26.40, 2.8 (D. W. E. Green,
near Guadeloupe, W.I., 7x50 binoculars, tail > 3 deg long); 28.52, 2.8
(Keen); Mar. 1.43, 3.2 (J. E. Bortle, Stormville, NY, 10x50 binoculars;
tail length 1.5 deg); 2.43, 2.7 (Green, Cambridge, MA, 7x35
binoculars); 3.43, 3.5 (Bortle; tail length > 2 deg); 4.53, 2.9 (Keen);
6.43, 3.6 (Green, Cambridge, MA, 7x35 binoculars).
1986 March 7 (4189) Daniel W. E. Green
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