Wide-Field Imaging of Halley’s Comet During 1985-1986 Using Schmidt-Type Telescopes

Abstract

AbstractPhotographic imaging of the plasma- and dust-tails of bright comets requires fast (f<4.0), wide-field (F0V>5°) optics for the proper recording of these large, low surface brightness features. Schmidts and astrographs are well-suited to this task and a large number of these instruments around the world will be turned toward Halley's Comet in 1985-1986 in support of the Large-Scale Phenomena Discipline of the International Halley Watch (IHW). This “worldwide network” should provide imagery with a time resolution never before realized in the study of a comet, and major breakthroughs in the understanding of highly-variable, elusive plasma processes in comets are expected. The imagery will also provide support for the GIOTTO, VEGA, AND PLANET-A deep space probes to the comet.