Cometary activity of distant object C/2002 VQ94 (LINEAR)

¹ Main Astronomical Observatory of NAS of Ukraine, Akademika Zabolotnoho 27, 03680 Kyiv, Ukraine e-mail: korsun@mao.kiev.ua
² Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian AS, Nizhnij Arkhyz, 369167, Russia e-mail: vafan@sao.ru

Received: 4 July 2006
Accepted: 3 August 2006

Abstract

Aims.We have started a program of spectroscopic and photometric investigations of distant active comets in the optical domain. The comets with a significant level of activity–in particular, extended tails–are the objects of our observations.

Methods.The observations were made at the 6-m telescope BTA (SAO RAS, Russia), with the focal reducer SCORPIO attached to the prime focus of the telescope. Long-slit and photometry modes were turned to perform our first observations. The spectral resolution in the spectroscopy mode was 10 Å.

Results.The result of the spectrum analysis of comet C/2002 VQ94 (LINEAR) is of particular interest. The comet observed at the heliocentric distance of 6.8 AU clearly shows a rich molecular spectrum. We identified 14 vibrational bands of CO⁺ (Comet Tail system), emissions of C₃, and some tentatively assigned to N and CN. It should be emphasized that, for now, CO⁺ and tentatively assigned N emissions are detected at a record heliocentric distance.