Activity of the first interstellar comet 2I/Borisov around perihelion: results from Indian observatories

Abstract

Comet 2I/Borisov is the first true interstellar comet discovered. Here, we present results from observational programs at two Indian observatories, 2 m Himalayan Chandra Telescope at the Indian Astronomical Observatory, Hanle (HCT) and 1.2 m telescope at the Mount Abu Infrared Observatory (MIRO). Two epochs of imaging and spectroscopy were carried out at the HCT and three epochs of imaging at MIRO. We found CN to be the dominant molecular emission on both epochs, 2019 November 30 and December 22, at distances of rH = 2.013 and 2.031 au, respectively. The comet was inferred to be relatively depleted in Carbon bearing molecules on the basis of low C2 and C3 abundances. We find the production rate ratio, Q(C2)/Q(CN) = 0.54 ± 0.18, pre-perihelion and Q(C2)/Q(CN) = 0.34 ± 0.12 post-perihelion. This classifies the comet as being moderately depleted in carbon chain molecules. Using the results from spectroscopic observations, we believe the comet to have a chemically heterogeneous surface having variation in abundance of carbon chain molecules. From imaging observations, we infer a dust-to-gas ratio similar to carbon chain depleted comets of the Solar system. We also compute the nucleus size to be in the range 0.18 km ≤ r ≤ 3.1 km. Our observations show that 2I/Borisov’s behaviour is analogous to that of the Solar system comets.