PREDNASAJUCI / LECTURER :

Volodymyr Troianskyi

(1) Astronomical Observatory of Odessa I.I.Mechnikov National University, Ukraine
(2) Department of Physics and Methods of Teaching, Faculty of Physics and Technology,
Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ukraine

NAZOV / TITLE :

Rotation of nuclei and phase functions of the selected Comets

ABSTRAKT / ABSTRACT :

One fundamental technique to derive the physical properties of comet nuclei is through their
rotational light curves. Light curves can be used to extract the individual objects’ spin rates
and axial ratios, which in turn can be used to constrain important properties of the comets.
There are two main techniques to derive rotational light curves from telescope observations:
photometric time series of bare nuclei and periodic variability of coma structures of active
comets. In order to detect the nucleus brightness variation directly, the comets need to be
observed at large heliocentric distances when they are inactive.