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A three-dimensional model of the nucleus of Comet Halley
- Source :
- ESA Proceedings of the 20th ESLAB Symposium on the Exploration of Halley's Comet. Volume 2: Dust and Nucleus
- Publication Year :
- 1986
- Publisher :
- United States: NASA Center for Aerospace Information (CASI), 1986.
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Abstract
- The nucleus of comet Halley was observed by the Halley Multicolor Camera (HMC) during the last minutes of the flyby sequence before reaching the point of closest approach. The phase angle change during the observational period was less than 17 deg, so HMC data can only define a two-dimensional contour of the nucleus at a certain time. The overall geometry during the HMC observations is outlined and the findings are related to information available from other sources at different times. The nucleus of the comet is described as a triaxial ellipsoid with major axes of 16, 10, and 9 km. The rotation axis is directed towards delta 1950 = -(40 + or - 5) deg and alpha 1950 = (50 + or - 10) deg. The rotation with a period of P = (54 + or - 1) is in a prograde sense with respect to the orbital motion.
- Subjects :
- Astrophysics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- NASA Technical Reports
- Journal :
- ESA Proceedings of the 20th ESLAB Symposium on the Exploration of Halley's Comet. Volume 2: Dust and Nucleus
- Publication Type :
- Report
- Accession number :
- edsnas.19870016536
- Document Type :
- Report