First Results from TESS Observations of Comet 46P/Wirtanen. (arXiv:1911.08318v1 [astro-ph.EP])

First Results from TESS Observations of Comet 46P/Wirtanen. (arXiv:1911.08318v1 [astro-ph.EP])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Farnham_T/0/1/0/all/0/1">Tony L. Farnham</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Kelley_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Michael S. P. Kelley</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Knight_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Matthew M. Knight</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Feaga_L/0/1/0/all/0/1">Lori M. Feaga</a>

We report on initial results from 20 days’ worth of TESS spacecraft
observations of comet 46P/Wirtanen. The long-duration, high-cadence
measurements show a 2018 September 26 outburst that exhibited a two-phase, 0.5
mag brightening profile, and may be the best temporally characterized natural
outburst ever recorded. Gas velocities from the outburst peaked at 800 m
s$^{-1}$, while dust expanded at only 10s of m s$^{-1}$. Coadded images also
revealed a previously unreported dust trail that extends beyond the 24$^circ$
field of view.

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