Nature Communications (Mar 2021)

Unusual polarimetric properties for interstellar comet 2I/Borisov

  • S. Bagnulo,
  • A. Cellino,
  • L. Kolokolova,
  • R. Nežič,
  • T. Santana-Ros,
  • G. Borisov,
  • A. A. Christou,
  • Ph. Bendjoya,
  • M. Devogèle

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22000-x
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Polarimetry provides information about physical characteristics of cometary dust. Here, the authors show that the polarization of interstellar comet 2I/Borisov exceeds the typical values for comets, and this together with its polarimetrically homogenous coma suggests a more pristine nature of the object.