Ground-based observation of Comet Halley

Abstract

Approximately five hundred Fabry-Perot scans of H2O+, H alpha, and (OI) emissions from comets Halley, Hartley-Good, and Thiele were obtained at Kitt Peak in November, December and January. The analysis of the data is in a very early stage, but preliminary results were obtained on the production rate Q(H) of hydrogen, Q(D) of metastable oxygen, and Q(H2O) of water. The rate Q(H) varied with heliocentric distance R as R to the power -3.5 + or - 0.5. The rate Q(D) varied as R to the power -4.8 + or - 0.1. The ratio of Q(H2O) to Q(D) was 15 + or - 5.