The dust tail of Comet Wilson 1987VII
- Osservatorio Astronomico, Padua (Italy) Osservatorio Astronomico, Trieste (Italy)
The dust and plasma tails of Comet Wilson 1987VII were studied using photographic plates obtained by means of an ESO Schmidt camera. The plates were digitized adopting a square scanning window of 50 microns and properly calibrated by means of calibration wedges. Dust grains of diameters between 10 microns and 5 cm, ejected during the time interval -600 less than t less than -30 (days related to perihelion), were considered and a total dust mass of (4 + or - 2) x 10 to the 14th g was obtained, together with a power index of the time-averaged size distribution of -3.0 + or - 0.1. The high value of the power index of the time-averaged size distribution with respect to the lower value of old comets might point out intrinsic differences and suggest new formations. 6 refs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6174194
- Journal Information:
- Astronomical Journal; (USA), Vol. 100; ISSN 0004-6256
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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