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Michael A. Stecker
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Comet Tabur (C/1996Q1)
This is a very interesting comet because it is thought to be
related to Comet
Liller (C/1988 A1). Presumably both comets were from a single body that broke apart at its previous return, some 2900 years ago. Tabur is thought to be the smaller of the two pieces. The comet's head (coma) has an unusual flattened triangular shape. This comet like Hyakutake was also noted to be emitting x-rays. The x-rays were noted to vary in intensity over short periods of time.
Photographic Data: I made a 15-minute exposure of Comet
Tabur with my
Astrophysics 155 mm f/7 EDF refractor and Kodak Pro 400 PPF 35 mm film. By guiding on the comet's head I was able to see its unusual flattened triangular shape and faint ion tail. The photo was taken near Red Rock Canyon, California on October 12, 1996. The image was processed in the computer. |
