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Space Exploration of Comets and the Evolution of Amateur-Professional Cooperation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

A.-C. Levasseur-Regourd
A.-C. Levasseur-Regourd*
Affiliation:
Université Paris IV, Service d’Aéronomie, BP.3, F-91371 Verrières le Buisson, France

Extract

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In 1985–86 when spaceprobes flew past P/Giacobini-Zinner and P/Halley, many amateurs observed these comets and submitted their results to national or international (IHW) organisations. Their visual, photographic, photometric and spectroscopic observations made a contribution to scientific knowledge. It is pertinent to ask if space programmes under consideration will allow similar cooperation to be continued.

The least uncertain project is that of another cometary fly-past by GIOTTO. Following orbital corrections made between 1986 March 19 and April 2, (ΔV =115 ms−1), the European probe should pass 22 300 km from the Earth on 1990 July 2. The gravitational assist from our planet should then put it onto an orbit to pass P/Hartley 2, P/du Toit-Hartley or P/Grigg-Skjellerup (1992 July 10). This last comet appears to be the most desirable target; although the final decision will not be taken until autumn 1989, recommendations have been made (Morley, 1986) for an international astrometric campaign.

Type
Part III Observations and Results
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 98: Stargazers: The Contribution of Amateurs to Astronomy , 1988 , pp. 150 - 151
Copyright
Copyright © Springer-Verlag 1988

References

Eberhardt, P.. et al.: in Exploration of Halley’s Comet, ESA SP 250, 243, 1986 Google Scholar
Marsden, B.A.: Catalogue of Cometary Orbits, IAU, 1986 Google Scholar
Morley, T.A.: GIOTTO study note 61, ESOC, 1986 Google Scholar
Neugebauer, M.: in Diversity and similarity of comets, ESA SP 278, in press, 1987 Google Scholar
Perret, A.: Rapport de phase A Vesta, CNES, 1987 Google Scholar
Schwehm, G.H., ed.: Comet nucleus sample return, ESA SP 249, 1986 Google Scholar