A Multi-Wavelength Simultaneous Study of the Composition of the Halley Family Comet 8P/Tuttle

We report on simultaneous optical and infrared observations of the Halley Family comet 8P/Tuttle performed with the ESO Very Large Telescope. Such multi-wavelength and coordinated observations are a good example of what can be done to support space missions. From high resolution optical spectroscopy of the CN (0,0) 388 nm and NH[SUB]2[/SUB] (0,9,0) 610 nm bands using UVES at UT2 we determined [SUP]12[/SUP]C/[SUP]13[/SUP]C = 90 ± 10 and [SUP]14[/SUP]N/[SUP]15[/SUP]N = 150 ± 20 in CN and we derived a nuclear spin temperature of NH[SUB]3[/SUB] of 29 ± 1 K. These values are similar to those found in Oort-Cloud and Jupiter Family comets. From low resolution long slit spectroscopy with FORS1 at UT2 we determined the CN, C[SUB]3[/SUB] and C[SUB]2[/SUB] production rates and the parent and daughter scale lengths up to 5.2 10[SUP]5[/SUP] km tailward. From high resolution IR spectroscopy with CRIRES at UT1 we measured simultaneously the production rates and mixing ratios of H[SUB]2[/SUB]O, HCN, C[SUB]2[/SUB]H[SUB]2[/SUB], CH[SUB]4[/SUB], C[SUB]2[/SUB]H[SUB]6[/SUB], and CH[SUB]3[/SUB]OH.