GALEX Sees Comet Machholz

Galex_glx2006-03f_img01_1024

galex_glx2006-03f_img01 July 27th, 2006

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/U. Washington/J. Morgenthaler

The figure shows a GALEX NUV grism observation of comet Machholz, recorded on March 1, 2005. The different colors in the image represent different intensities, with black being the lowest, purple a little higher, and yellow the highest. The large, round, "purple haze" is emission from the hydroxyl molecule (chemical symbol, "OH"), and is centered on the large yellowish dot towards the upper left. The smaller yellow dot, just below and to the right of that, is emission from the molecule "CS." Emission between the two dots is from other material. The stars in the field appear as streaks because their light is spread out by the grism as well. The long, curved dust tail is completely invisible because the comet's UV emissions totally outshine it. Emission from atomic carbon was also detected in the GALEX FUV grism data.

Provider: Galaxy Evolution Explorer

Image Source: http://www.galex.caltech.edu/media/glx2006-03f_img01.html

Curator: Galaxy Evolution Explorer

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Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Machholz • Comet Machholz • C/2004 Q2
Subject - Solar System
Interplanetary Body > Comet > Nucleus

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Pseudocolor GALEX (NUV) Ultraviolet (Near-UV) 230.0 nm
Spectrum_base
Pseudocolor
Galex_glx2006-03f_img01_1280
×
ID
glx2006-03f_img01
Subject Category
A.2.2.1.  
Subject Name
Machholz, Comet Machholz, C/2004 Q2
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/U. Washington/J. Morgenthaler
Release Date
2006-07-27
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
http://www.galex.caltech.edu/media/glx2006-03f_img01.html
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
GALEX
Instrument
NUV
Color Assignment
Pseudocolor
Band
Ultraviolet
Bandpass
Near-UV
Central Wavelength
230
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
Equinox
Reference Value
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
URL
http://www.galex.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
City
State/Province
Postal Code
Country
Rights
Publisher
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
Publisher ID
galex
Resource ID
Resource URL
/image/galex/glx2006-03f_img01
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2024-02-27T00:15:02Z
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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