[en] The interstellar comet 2I/Borisov is the first interstellar object where compositional characterisation was possible throughout its entire perihelion passage. We report all 16 epochs of a comprehensive optical observation campaign with ESO VLT's integral field spectrograph MUSE, spanning 126 days from 2019 November 14 to 2020 March 19. The spatial dust emission of 2I/Borisov was predominantly smooth, with no seasonal effect. A jet-like feature was consistently visible. The gas production morphology of its coma is also smooth and similar for C2, NH2, and CN: symmetric around the photocentre. The production rates of these species gently declined into and beyond perihelion, until 2I's outburst and splitting event in early 2020 March. NH2 then significantly spiked, with a only moderate rise in C2 and CN; the dust emission also slightly reddened. 2I/Borisov is a carbon-depleted, very NH2-rich comet relative to those yet measured in the Solar System.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Deam, Sophie; School of Physical and Chemical Sciences – Te Kura Matü, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealan, Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6845,7 Australia
Bannister, Michele; Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6845,7 Australia
Opitom, Cyrielle; Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ, UK
Knight, Matthew M.; Physics Department, United States Naval Academy, 572C Holloway Rd, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA10, University of Maryland, Department of Astronomy, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Ridden-Harper, Ryan; School of Physical and Chemical Sciences – Te Kura Matü, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealan
Seligman, Darryl Z.; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824, MI, USA12
Fitzimmons, Alan; Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
Guilbert-Lepoutre, Aurélie; Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon, LGL-TPE, UMR 5276 CNRS / Université de Lyon / Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 / ENS Lyon,14 69622 Villeurbanne, France
Jehin, Emmanuel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR)
Jorda, Laurent; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Marsset, Michael; European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Santiago, Chile
Moulane, Youssef; School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco
Rousselot, Philippe; Université Marie et Louis Pasteur, CNRS, Institut UTINAM (UMR 6213), OSU THETA, F-25000 Besaņcon, Franc
Vernazza, Pierre; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Yang, Bin; Instituto de Estudios Astrofisicos, Facultad de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejercito Libertador 441,21 Santiago, 8370191, Chile
