Advances in Astronomy and Space Physics, Volume 4, Issue 1-2, PP. 38-41 (2014)
doi: 10.17721/2227-1481.4.38-41

Photometry of distant active comet C/2010 S1 (LINEAR)

O. Shubina1, I. Kulyk2, P. Korsun2, Ya. Romanjuk2

1Faculty of Physics, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Glushkova ave. 4, Kyiv 03127, Ukraine
2Main Astronomical Observatory of the NAS of Ukraine, Akademika Zabolotnoho Str. 27, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine

Abstract
We present the results of photometric observations of a dynamically new comet C/2010 S1 (LINEAR), conducted on June 18, 2012. The comet demonstrated a considerable level of physical activity at a heliocentric distance of 6.3 AU. The brightness, measured under a phase angle of 8.9 degrees, was equal to 14.55m ± 0.06m and 14.21m ± 0.04 m in V- and R-bands, respectively. The brightness distribution over the coma was found to be inversely proportional to the projected onto the sky plane nucleocentric distance, with a slope of approximately −1. Therefore, the calculated Afρ parameter, approximately 8400 cm and 8200 cm for V and R filters, respectively, was used to estimate the dust production rate. Assuming a steady outflow of dust particles from the nucleus, the dust production rate was estimated to be between 20 and 60 kg/s, depending on the assumed value of the grain's albedo. The V-R colour index obtained from the near-nucleus region of the coma is in agreement with the solar V-R colour index, and does not indicate significant reddening of the reflected solar radiation in the spectral region of 540-683 nm.

Keywords:
comets: individual: C/2010 S1, photometry, dust production