Optical observations of 23 distant Jupiter Family Comets, including 36P/Whipple at multiple phase angles
Colin Snodgrass (1, 2), Stephen C. Lowry (2), Alan Fitzsimmons (2), ((1) European Southern Observatory, Chile, (2) Queen's University Belfast,, UK)

TL;DR
This study presents optical observations and analysis of 23 Jupiter Family Comets, focusing on their rotation, shape, and surface properties, revealing diverse physical characteristics and potential evolutionary links to Kuiper Belt Objects.
Contribution
First comprehensive optical survey of 23 JFCs at large distances, including rotation periods, shapes, and surface colours, with insights into their physical diversity and evolution.
Findings
94P/Russell 4 has an elongated nucleus with axial ratio ≥ 3.
36P/Whipple's rotation period is longer than 24 hours.
Surface colours of JFCs can be traced back to KBOs through de-reddening.
Abstract
We present photometry on 23 Jupiter Family Comets (JFCs) observed at large heliocentric distance, primarily using the 2.5m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT). Snap-shot images were taken of 17 comets, of which 5 were not detected, 3 were active and 9 were unresolved and apparently inactive. These include 103P/Hartley 2, the target of the NASA Deep Impact extended mission, EPOXI. For 6 comets we obtained time-series photometry and use this to constrain the shape and rotation period of these nuclei. The data are not of sufficient quantity or quality to measure precise rotation periods, but the time-series do allow us to measure accurate effective radii and surface colours. Of the comets observed over an extended period, 40P/Vaisala 1, 47P/Ashbrook-Jackson and P/2004 H2 (Larsen) showed faint activity which limited the study of the nucleus. Light-curves for 94P/Russell 4 and 121P/Shoemaker-Holt 2…
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