SPECTROSCOPY

Comet C/2006 A1 (Pojmanski)

05:15 UT 4th March 2006

 

VC200L at f6.4 and SC3 modified webcam. ( 40x 5sec)

Field approx. 10x10 arcmin

False colour image showing start of ion tail which extends several degrees in wide field images.

Spectrum image taken with the 100 l/mm Star Analyser diffraction grating mounted approximately 50mm in front of the camera CCD chip (The resolution is limited by the size of the diffuse comet nucleus visible in the zero order image to the left)

A potentially interfering star crossed the line of the spectrum. The frames in which the star interfered were not included in the stack, producing the gap in the star trail

The spectrum has been corrected for instrument response.

Emission lines due to C2 and CN molecules can be seen superimposed on the reflected solar spectrum.

The synthesised colour spectrum shows the blue green Swan band emissions dominating the spectrum in the visible wavelengths

 

 

RETURN TO SPECTROSCOPY INTRODUCTION

 

BACK TO ASTRONOMY HOME