Abstract
Spectrum scans have been obtained of the head of Comet Austin on six nights at helio-centric distances (r) from 0.70 to 0.87 AU. The useful spectral region is λλ330–750nm. Strong emission features of CN (388 nm) and Swan band sequence of C2 (474, 516, and 563 nm) were identified. Weak emission features of CH + C2(436 nm), C2(600 nm), CN(420 nm) and CH + C3(405 nm) have also been found present. There is a change in the ratio of CN(388 nm) to C2(516 nm) emission strength with increasing heliocentric distance. An estimate of the CN and C2 abundances has been made and their production rates have been derived. The continuum of the comet is strongly reddened with reference to Sun. The continuum matches the scattered continuum of solar radiation according to λ2 law (Mie scattering) closely.
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Goraya, P.S., Rautela, B.S. & Sanwal, B.B. Spectrophotometry of Comet Austin (1982g) during post-perihelion period. Earth Moon Planet 30, 63–74 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118092
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118092