Abstract
Extensive observations of comet 260P/McNaught were carried out between August 2012 and January 2013. The images obtained were used to analyze the comet’s inner coma morphology at resolutions ranging from 250 to about 1000 km/pixel.
A deep investigation of the dust features in the inner coma allowed us to identify only a single main active source on the comet’s nucleus, at an estimated latitude of −50∘±15∘.
A thorough analysis of the appearance and of the motion of the morphological structures, supported by graphic simulations of the geometrical conditions of the observations, allowed us to determine a pole orientation located within a circular spot of a 15∘-radius centered at RA=60∘, Dec=0∘. The rotation of the nucleus seems to occur on a single axis and is not chaotic, furthermore no precession effects could be estimated from our measurements.
The comet’s spin axis never reached the plane of the sky from October 2012 to January 2013; during this period it did not change its direction significantly (less than 30∘), thus giving us the opportunity to observe mainly structures such as bow-shaped jets departing from the single active source located on the comet’s nucleus.
Only during the months of August 2012 and January 2013 the polar axis was directed towards the Earth at an angle of about 45∘ from the plane of the sky; this made it possible to observe the development of faint structures like fragments of shells or spirals.
A possible rotation period of 0.340±0.01 days was estimated by means of differential photometric analysis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bloomfield, P.: Fourier Analysis of Time Series: An Introduction. Wiley, New York (1976)
Chen, D., Zheng, X.: Sci. Sin. Ser. A 30, 860 (1987)
Eberhardy, C.A., Woodney, L.M., Schleicher, D.G.: In: DPS Meeting, vol. 32, p. 4106E (2000)
Farnham, T.L., Samarasinha, N.H., Mueller, B.E.A., Knight, M., Mattew, M.: Astron. J. 113, 2001 (2007a)
Farnham, T.L., Wellnitz, D.D., Hampton, D.L., Li, J.-Y., Sunshine, J.M., Groussin, O., McFadden, L.A., Crockett, C.J., A’Hearn, M.F., Belton, M.J.S., Schulz, P., Lisse, C.M.: Icarus 187, 26 (2007b)
Jewitt, D.: Earth Moon Planets 79, 35 (1997)
Green, D.W.E.: IAU Circ. 8535 (2005)
Green, D.W.E.: CBET 3113 (2012)
Hsieh, H.R., Ishiguro, M., Lacerda, P., Jewitt, D.: Astrophys. J. 142, 29 (2011)
Kidger, M.R., Serra-Ricart, M., Bellot-Rubio, L.R., Casas, R.: Astrophys. J. 461, L119 (1996)
Knight, M., Farnham, T.L., Schleicher, D.G., Schwieterman, E.W.: Astron. J. 141, 2 (2011)
Larson, S., Sekanina, Z.I.: Astron. J. 89, 571 (1984)
Lin, Z.Y., Weiler, M., Rauer, H., Ip, W.H.: Astron. Astrophys. 469, 771 (2007)
Manzini, F., Crippa, R., Oldani, V., Guaita, C.: Earth Moon Planets 87, 73 (2001)
Manzini, F., Guaita, C., Schwarz, G., Cosmovici, C.B., Comolli, L., Brunati, A., Crippa, R.: Earth Moon Planets 100, 1 (2006)
Manzini, F., Behrend, R., Comolli, L., Oldani, V., Cosmovici, C.B., Crippa, R., Guaita, C., Schwarz, G., Coloma, J.: Astrophys. Space Sci. 531, 337 (2012)
Manzini, F., Behrend, R.: http://obswww.unige.ch/~behrend/page6cou.html (2013)
Marsden, B.G.: CBET 161 (2005a)
Marsden, B.G.: Minor Planet Electron. Circ. 006 (2005b)
Reyniers, M., Degroote, P., Bodewits, D., Cuypers, J., Waelkens, C.: Astron. Astrophys. 494, 379 (2009)
Samarasinha, N.H., Mueller, B.E.A., Belton, M.J.S.: Earth Moon Planets 77, 189 (1997)
Samarasinha, N.H.: Astrophys. J. Lett. 529, L107 (2000)
Samarasinha, N.H., Mueller, B.E.A., A’Hearn, M.F., Farnham, T.L., Gersch, A.: Astrophys. J. Lett. 743, L3 (2011)
Scleicher, D.G., Millis, R.L., Osip, D.J., Lederer, S.M.: Icarus 131, 233 (1998)
Schleicher, D.G., Woodney, L.M.: Icarus 190, 162 (2003)
Schwarz, G., Cosmovici, C.B., Crippa, R., Guaita, C., Manzini, F., Oldani, V.: Earth Moon Planets 78, 189 (1997)
Sekanina, Z.: Anisotropic emission from comets: fans versus jets. I. Concept and modelling. ESA SP 278, 315–322 (1987)
Sekanina, Z., Boehnhardt, H.: Earth Moon Planets 78, 313 (1999)
Waniak, W., Borisov, G., Drahus, M., Bonev, T.: Astron. Astrophys. 543, A32 (2012)
Williams, G.V.: Minor Planet Electron. Circ. K37 (2012)
Yoshida, S., Aoki, T., Soyano, T., Tarusawa, K., Van Driel, W., Hamane, M., Ichikawa, T., Watanabe, J., Wakamatsu, K.: Publ. Astron. Soc. Jpn. 45, L33 (1993)
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank: Emilio Molinari, director of TNG, Gloria Andreuzzi and the staff of Telescopio Nazionale Galileo for the great help provided in shooting the images with the TNG; Patrizia Caraveo and Giovanni Bignami for the useful discussions; Danilo Pivato for making his images of comet 260P available to us. This research has made use of the LCOGT public Archive, which is operated by the California Institute of Technology, under contract with the Las Cumbres Observatory.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Consortia
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Manzini, F., Oldani, V., Crippa, R. et al. Comet McNaught (260P/2012 K2): spin axis orientation and rotation period. Astrophys Space Sci 351, 435–450 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-014-1854-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-014-1854-6