Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The nucleus of Comet Borrelly: A study of morphology and surface brightness

January 1, 2004

Stereo images obtained during the DS1 flyby were analyzed to derive a topographic model for the nucleus of Comet 19P/Borrelly for morphologic and photometric studies. The elongated nucleus has an overall concave shape, resembling a peanut, with the lower end tilted towards the camera. The bimodal character of surface-slopes and curvatures support the idea that the nucleus is a gravitational aggregate, consisting of two fragments in contact. Our photometric modeling suggests that topographic shading effects on Borrelly's surface are very minor (

Publication Year 2004
Title The nucleus of Comet Borrelly: A study of morphology and surface brightness
DOI 10.1016/j.icarus.2003.05.001
Authors J. Oberst, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Randolph L. Kirk, Laurence A. Soderblom, B. Buratti, M. Hicks, R. Nelson, D. Britt
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Icarus
Index ID 70027368
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Astrogeology Science Center
Was this page helpful?