[BAA Comets] 168p fragmentation

[Richard Miles]

Interesting.  I've added a few comments on the BAA Forum under the Comets 
section which anyone can see at:
http://www.britastro.org/baa/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=100007&func=view&catid=8&id=1188

I've analysed the key images including the jpegs shown recently from the 
WIYN and by JPL from Gemini North.
See here:
www.britastro.org/~rmiles/Documents/168P_Oct26-Nov2a.png

I've made assumptions in labelling various condensations visible alongside 
the head of the comet.  In actual fact, things might be a lot more transient 
in nature with condensations in the tail coming and going over periods of a 
day or so, and we have to rely on a few snapshots well spaced in time. 
However, component 'a', which was discovered by the Faulkes team on October 
26, does look more permanent given that it is sporting a tail.  What I don't 
quite understand is where it was on October 22 when Nick Howes, Giovanni 
Sostero and Ernesto Guido took a deep image using Faulkes?  It's subsequent 
motion has now shown it to be quite slow moving (relative to the nucleus) so 
it may have been a product of fragmentation from many weeks ago, having 
remained dormant for quite a time and it has only recently become activated.

At least we now know the 'big guns' are targetting 168P so they should be 
able to better elucidate the nature of this comet.

Richard Miles
BAA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "denis buczynski" <buczynski8166 at btinternet.com>
To: "BAA Comets discussion list" <comets-disc at britastro.org>
Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2012 10:13 AM
Subject: [BAA Comets] 168p fragmentation


> Hello all
>
> There has been further evidence of the break up of this comet with news of 
> observations from the
> Mauna Kea in this press release.
>
> "Using the National Optical Astronomy Observatory's Gemini North Telescope 
> on top of Mauna Kea,
> Hawaii, we have resolved that the nucleus of the comet has separated into 
> at least four distinct
> pieces resulting in a large increase in dust material in its coma."
>
> www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-349
>
>
> Denis Buczynski