The rotation period of comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 determined from the dust structures (Jets) in the coma

• Published in: Solar system research Vol. 46; no. 4; pp. 313 - 319
• Main Authors: Ivanova, A. V., Afanasiev, V. L., Korsun, P. P., Baranskii, A. R., Andreev, M. V., Ponomarenko, V. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01.07.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics; Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Astrophysics and Cosmology; Comets; Observations and Techniques; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Planetology; Solar System Research; Elbrus; Rotation Period; Heliocentric Distance; Cometary Nucleus
• ISSN: 0038-0946; 1608-3423
• DOI: 10.1134/S003809461204003X

The results of the photometric observations of comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 are analyzed. The comet demonstrates substantial activity at heliocentric distances larger than 5 AU, i.e., outside the water ice sublimation zone. The CCD images of the comet were obtained in wideband R filters at the 6-meter telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SAO RAS) and at the 2-meter Zeiss-2000 telescope of the Peak Terskol Observatory. The processing of the images with special digital filters allowed the active structures (jets) to be distinguished in the dust coma of the comet. With the cross-correlation method, the rotation period of the cometary nucleus was determined as 12.1 ± 1.2 and 11.7 ± 1.5 days for the observations taken in December 2008, and February 2009, respectively. The probable causes of the difference in the estimates of the rotation period of the cometary nucleus obtained by different authors are discussed.