Spectrophotometric Monitoring of Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp): Pre- and Post-Perihelion

Spectrophotometric observations of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) were performed at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), Chile. From April to September 1996 its gaseous activity was monitored over a heliocentric distance range from 4.6 AU to 2.9 AU. The monitoring is continued on Hale-Bopp's outbound path since September 1997 and covers up to now 3 AU to 5 AU heliocentric distance. Medium resolution spectra in the optical wavelength range from about 350 nm to 700 nm were taken at the 1.54m Danish and the 1.52m ESO telescope. Emission bands of the CN, C_3, C_2 and NH_2 radicals can be followed over the comet's orbit. We will present a first analysis of the post-perihelion activity evolution and compare to the pre-perihelion path. Currently, at 4.7 AU on the outbound path, we still see emission of CN, C_3, C_2 and NH_2. The production rate of CN showed a sudden increase around this heliocentric distance pre-perihelion (Rauer et al., Science 275, 1909). The post-perihelion activity evolution of CN and the other observed radicals in this distance range will be evaluated.