Comet Spells Opportunity
for CU Astronomers

By Adam J. Rosenbaum
Camera Staff Writer
Daily Camera
March 21, 1997

Two amateur astronomers discovered the Hale-Bopp comet in 1995. Now, professional scientists at the University of Colorado are fired up about studying the celestial object.

The CU scientists are involved in several new programs to examine the comet.

Hale­Bopp is one of the brightest comets to come close to Earth in 20 years, which may enable the scientists to obtain new clues about comets and, perhaps, the origins of the solar system.

"Each comet is worth studying," said Erik Wilkinson, a research associate in Astrophysics and Space Technology at CU. "By learning about comets, we might learn about how (the) solar svstem was formed, because comets are leftover material from the formation of the solar system."

Wilkinson is coordinating a CU­led team that will help launch a spectrograph, or a sounding rocket, from White Sands, N M., on Monday night. The rocket-sort of a high­tech prism-will collect data on the comet's chemical makeup by reflecting its ultraviolet rays.

"It will help us probe what's going on in the halo (periphery) of the comet," Wilkinson said.

Two CU astronomers-John Brandt and Martin Snow of CU's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics-also are paying special attention to Hale­Bopp. The two helped spearhead the Ulysses Comet Watch in 1992.

Now, the Ulysses group is busy studying the magnetic particles in Hale­Bopp's plasma tail, "What causes changes in the tail is changes in the sun's magnetic field," Snow said. "When we know more about the sun, we understand the sun's relationship with Earth better."

The scientists also are intrigued by Hale­Bopp's orbit-unlike most comets, Hale­Bopp circles outside the Earth's orbital plane, Snow said. "We know a lot about the solar system, but not so much about the higher latitudes." Snow said.

Snow added that the Ulysses group is gathering data on the World Wide Web and communicating with both amateur and professional astronomers who also are tracking the comet online. Snow estimates there are "hundreds" of Web sites devoted to Hale­Bopp.

Even CU students are in on the Hale-Bopp hype. Steve Hill. a second­year graduate student is using a telescope and spectroscope at CU's Astrophysical, Planetary and Atmospheric Science center to examine how the comet interacts with light.

"By studying the fine details, I can learn alot about the physics of what I'm studying," Hill said.