DIRECT-DETECTION OF A COMETARY NUCLEUS WITH THE HUBBLE-SPACE-TELESCOPE

Authors
LAMY PL TOTH I
Citation
Pl. Lamy et I. Toth, DIRECT-DETECTION OF A COMETARY NUCLEUS WITH THE HUBBLE-SPACE-TELESCOPE, Astronomy and astrophysics, 293(1), 1995, pp. 43-45
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Journal title
Astronomy and astrophysics → ACNP
ISSN journal
00046361
Volume
293
Issue
1
Year of publication
1995
Pages
43 - 45
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-6361(1995)293:1<43:DOACNW>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
We report the unambiguous detection with the Planetary Camera of the H ubble Space Telescope of the nucleus of comet P/Faye 1991 XXI during i ts last perihelion passage when it was at 0.6 AU from the Earth. The h igh resolution of the HST allowed to discriminate the nucleus against the bright coma. The reduced V magnitude of the nucleus ranges between 15.5 and 15.9. Assuming a geometric albedo of 0.04, we found a rather spherical body with a mean radius of 2.68 km.