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Summary: Astronomy & Astrophysics manuscript no. aams9922 c ESO 2008
September 7, 2008
Photometry and polarimetry of the nucleus of comet 2P/Encke
H. Boehnhardt1, G.P. Tozzi2, S. Bagnulo3, K. Muinonen4, A. Nathues1, and L. Kolokolova5
1
Max-Planck-Institute for Solar System Research, Max-Planck-Str. 2, D-37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany (boehnhardt@mps.mpg.de)
2
INAF Arcetri Observatory, Florence, Italy
3
Armagh Observatory, Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK
4
University Observatory, Helsinki, Finland
5
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
Received today / Accepted tomorrow
ABSTRACT
Context. Comet 2P/Encke, a short-period comet, is a favorable target for studies of light scattering by bare cometary nuclei. These studies enable
assessment of the nucleus size, the material albedo, and the light-scattering properties of the cometary surface. Observations of 2P/Encke were
completed between October to December 2006 when the comet approached the Sun between 2.7 and 2.1 AU.
Aims. We characterize the activity of the cometary coma and the physical properties of the nucleus of 2P/Encke such as its size, albedo, colors,
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