Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Dec 1994
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994icar..112..528c&link_type=abstract
Icarus (ISSN 0019-1035), vol. 112, no. 2, p. 528-532
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
15
Chemical Composition, Cometary Collisions, Energy Transfer, Fragments, Shoemaker-Levy 9 Comet, Astrometry, Emission Spectra, Photometry, Spectroscopy
Scientific paper
At McDonald Observatory, we have undertaken a major program of observation of Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 in order to charcterize the dynamics and physical make-up of the fragments prior to their disappearance in July 1994 when they collide with Jupiter. Obserations have included astrometry, photometry, and spectroscopy. Our astrometric observations have been important for deriving accurate orbits for the individual fragments. With the photometry, we have derived (B-V) and (V-R) colors for a number of fragemnts. We show that they are slightly redder than the Sun in (B-V) and similar to the Sun in (V-R); they may show differences in colors for the individual fragments. We detected no gas with our spectroscopic observations and have derived sensitive upper limits on the quantity of gas. Our observations are consistent with the parent being a comet, as classified, but cannot rule out certain types of asteroids as progenitors.
Claver Charles Frederick
Cochran Anita L.
MacQueen Phillip J.
Shelus Peter J.
Whipple Arthur L.
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