IUE observations of comet P/Crommelin (1983 n)

Abstract

Comet P/Crommelin has always been a difficult object to observe because of both its intrinsic faintness and its poor location in northern skies at the time of maximum activity. Observations were attempted with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) over a seven week period starting five days after the comet had reached perihelion. The nature and the abundance of its UV coma species and the rate of decrease, supposedly very rapid, of its gaseous output is investigated. Comparison with comets Bradfield (1970 X) and Austin (1982 VI), which had similar orbits and were observed over periods of eight and four weeks, respectively, is made.