First Results from TESS Observations of Comet 46P/Wirtanen
Abstract
We report on initial results from 20 days' worth of TESS spacecraft observations of comet 46P/Wirtanen. The long-duration, high-cadence measurements show a 2018 September 26 outburst that exhibited a two-phase, 0.5 mag brightening profile, and may be the best temporally characterized natural outburst ever recorded. Gas velocities from the outburst peaked at 800 m s-1, while dust expanded at only 10s of m s-1. Coadded images also revealed a previously unreported dust trail that extends beyond the 24 field of view.
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