The inner coma of comet Hyakutake

The most recent ESO observations of bright Comet Hyakutake have shown rapid changes in the innermost coma, within a few hundred kilometres from the cometary nucleus. This result has only become possible because of the unusual combination of a bright comet being near the Earth, together with the excellent imaging quality of the ESO 3.5-metre New Technology Telescope (NTT).

For the further analysis, a comparison (with the image eso9623a) was made of a series of 12 R-frames each, obtained with a 30-min interval.

The field shown in this image is 60 x 60 arcsec, i.e. about 10,000 km square at the distance of the comet. The image taken on 19 March 1996.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso9623b
Type:Observation
Release date:12 July 2010, 17:07
Related releases:eso9623
Size:508 x 553 px

About the Object

Name:Comet Hyakutake
Type:Solar System : Interplanetary Body : Comet : Coma
Category:Solar System

Image Formats

Large JPEG
64.9 KB
Screensize JPEG
122.7 KB

Colours & filters

BandTelescope
Optical
R
New Technology Telescope
SUSI