MOLECULAR BAND POLARIZATION IN COMET-HYAKUTAKE-C 1996-B2/

IAU/IHW filter set is used to study the polarization in Comet Hyakutak e in various molecular bands. The observations were taken on March 13. 97 and March 18.88 UT dates using 1.2 m telescope at Mount Abu Observa tory, India. The errors in the measurement of the percent polarization are very low (<0.5%). The phase dependence of the polarization of C-2 and CN molecular emission bands due to resonance fluorescence is in g ood agreement with theory. However, the observed polarization in C-3 m olecular band is found to be about 3% which is less than the predicted value. In the case of CN molecule, significant deviation is noticed i n the direction of polarization vector from normal to the plane of sca ttering.