The Astronomical Journal · 1984 · 42 citations · 0 references
Natural SciencesAstronomyPhysicsAstrophysicsInfrared AstronomyObservational AstronomyInfrared PhotometryInterstellar DustMid-infrared AstronomyNear-infrared AstronomyPhotometric SystemsStellar PhotometryBandpass FiltersBroadband Infrared PhotometryCometary Infrared EmissionCometsDust Absorption FeaturesInfrared Dust EmissionPhotometryTemperature Corrections
Infrared observations of six comets ranging in heliocentric distance from 1 to 5 AU are reported. Data consist of wide and intermediate bandpass filter photometry, 1-20 microns, for periodic comets Stephan-Oterma, Swift-Gehrels, Kearns-Kwee, Gunn, and Grigg-Skjellerup and for parabolic Comet Elias (1981 XV). All of the comets show infrared temperatures hotter than a theoretical black body, indicating small absorbing grains. No emission feature at 10 microns was observed within the accuracy of the filter photometry. The photometric system is discussed in detail, and temperature-dependent corrections to monochromatic magnitudes are presented.