Break-up of comet Linear

A computer-processed composite of three CCD exposures of the head of Comet LINEAR, obtained with VLT ANTU and the multi-mode FORS-1 instrument through a R(ed) optical filter on August 6, 2000. The telescope followed the comet's fast motion perfectly during the duration of the exposures (9, 10 and 8 min, respectively) and the images of the stars in the field appear as long trails. More than a dozen "mini-comets" are seen — they are pieces from the comet's disintegrating nucleus. Image processing by Richard Hook (ST/ECF, Garching) suppressed the bright part of the comet's tail in order to provide a clearer view of the faint condensations (by means of a median combination of registered, unsharp masked versions of the three images). The observing conditions were good; the image quality is about 0.6 arcsec. The field shown measures about 3.4 x 2.5 arcmin 2. North is up and East is left.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso0026a
Type:Observation
Release date:8 August 2000
Related releases:eso0026
Size:2000 x 1446 px

About the Object

Name:C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)
Type:Solar System : Interplanetary Body : Comet
Category:Solar System

Image Formats

Large JPEG
199.4 KB
Screensize JPEG
259.3 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
299.7 KB
1280x1024
407.0 KB
1600x1200
527.9 KB
1920x1200
564.6 KB
2048x1536
713.0 KB

Colours & filters

BandTelescope
Optical
R
Very Large Telescope
FORS1