Comets
Comets have fascinating spectra. When they are in quiescence, far from the sun,
the comets shine by reflected sunlight, and the spectra resemble that
of solar type star (G2V), the sun! As the comets come into the inner solar system they
become active and
their spectra become dominated by emission lines from carbon compounds.
Some of the strong carbon features include (in Angstroms):
3880 CN (STRONG in comets), 4056 C3 complex (STRONG in comets), 4217 CN,
4380 C2 Swan, 4738 C2 Swan, 5165 C2 Swan (STRONG), 5635 C2 Swan, 6122 C2 Swan
The Latest Comet Ephemerides
Catalog of
Cometary Emission Lines
"Active" Comets
Comet Tabur
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"Quiescent" Comets
Comet Lovas
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