comet 103P ICARUS

Photometry and imaging of comet 103P/Hartley

in the 2010-2011 apparition

Icarus

Available online 20 September 2012

Giannantonio Milania, b, s, , , , Erik Bryssinckc, a, Martino Nicolinid, a, Herman Mikuže, a, Giovanni Sosterof, a, Paolo Bacci g, a, Walter Borghinih, a, Dario Castellanoa, Mauro Facchinid, a, Giancarlo Faveroi, a, Gianni Gallij, a, Ernesto Guidof, a, Bernhard Hauslerk, a, Kamil Hornochl, a, Nick Howesm, a, Rolando Ligustrin, a, Carmen Perrellaa, Enrico Prosperio, a, Jure Skvarče, a, Jiří Srbap, a, Roberto Trabattiq, a, Carlo Vinanter, a, Gyula Szabós, a

a CARA Project - Astrofili Italiani, IASF INAF via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
b Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Padova, viale G. Colombo 3, 35131, Italy
c BRIXIIS Observatory, Eyckensbeekstraat, 9150 Kruibeke, Belgium
d G. Montanari Observatory, via Concordia 200, 41032 Cavezzo, Italy
e Črni Vrh Observatory, 5274 Črni Vrh nad Idrijo, Slovenia
f Remanzacco Observatory (AFAM), via S. Stefano, 33047, Remanzacco, Italy
g Centro Astronomico Libbiano, Loc. via della Chiesa 32, 56037 Peccioli (PI)
h Osservatorio Astronomico Naturalistico di Casasco, Strada Ca’Simone, 15050 Casasco, Italy
i Celado Observatory, UATV via Venezia 18, 38053 Castello Tesino , Italy
j GiaGa Observatory, Via Mozart 4, 20010 Pogliano Milanese (MI), Italy
k Maidbronn Observatory, Albin-Joerg Str., D 97222 Maidbronn, Germany
l Astronomical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Fričova 1, CZ-25165 Ondřejov, Czech Republic
m LCOGT/Faulkes Telescope North, Haleakala High Altitude Observatory Site , Maui, Hawaii, United States & Cherhill Observatory, White Horse View, Cherhill, Wiltshire, United Kingdom UK
n Talmassons Observatory (C.A.S.T.), via Cadorna, 33030 Talmassons, Italy
o Castelmartini Observatory , via Bartolini 1357, 51036 Larciano, Italy
p Observatory Valašské Meziříčí, Vsetínská 78 , CZ-75701, Valašské Meziříčí, Czech Republic
q Stazione Astronomica Descartes, via Lambrinia 4., 27013 Chignolo Po’, Italy
r Associazione Astronomica Euganea, via Tommaseo, 35131 Padova, Italy
s Konkoly Observatory of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O Box 67, 1525 Budapest , Hungary

VAI ALL'ARTICOLO

Abstract

The results of a CARA (Cometary Archive for Afρ) campaign on comet 103P/Hartley 2 are presented. The main goal was to monitor extensively the comet during the apparition with CCD R and I imaging and photometry, as a support of Epoxi Mission.

The Afρ quantity showed a progressively rising ascending branch, followed by an apparent flat maximum that lasted for 2 months, from about–10 to +50 days from perihelion. In this period, Afρ peaked at around 100 cm in R band with strong short term fluctuations between 70 and 140 cm. Early signs of activity were detectable well before perihelion (about 80-90 days before) and a random variability is also present in the descending branch after perihelion. Three post perihelion data points (between +55 and +61 days) from the 1997-98 apparition show a bit higher Afρ value of our observation and a similar fast variation.

The average Afρ behavior, corrected for the solar phase effect, is strongly asymmetric and shows a more steeper ascending branch, approaching to perihelion.

Morphology and coma asymmetry, as well as the sunward and tailward profiles are examined. An average gradient indicatively between ∼ ρ –0.7 and ρ –1 is observed in the inner coma (ρ<2000 amplitude="amplitude" and="and" been="been" detected="detected" font="font" have="have" km="km" ones="ones" outbursts="outbursts" small="small" suspected.="suspected." ten="ten" two="two" were="were">