Bibcode
Tozzi, G. P.; Lara, L. M.; Kolokolova, L.; Boehnhardt, H.; Licandro, J.; Schulz, R.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, v.424, p.325-330 (2004)
Advertised on:
9
2004
Journal
Citations
26
Refereed citations
22
Description
Comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) was observed at ESO at the time of
its closest approach to the Earth at the beginning of December 2001
(geocentric distance: 0.32 AU). The aim of the observations was
characterization of the solid component of the coma. Observations have
been acquired over a wide spectral range, from the visible to the
thermal infrared using three telescopes simultaneously. In this paper we
discuss the possible discovery of two sublimating components in the
coma, one of them with scattering properties very different from those
of the ``common'' cometary dust. We provide evidence that these two
components possibly originate from different kinds of organic material.
Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory,
Chile. Program 68.C-0506.