IHW COMET HALLEY POLARIMETRIC OBSERVATIONS V1.0: 884 Measurements from 1985-1986

From 1985 September 13 through 1986 May 17, NASA's International Halley Watch (IHW) collected 884 polarimetric observations of Comet Halley. The Photometry and Polarimetry Network submitted these data, with 752 observations expressed as 'percent polarization'. This archive is part of a broader collection spanning multiple scientific disciplines and augmented by spacecraft measurements.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the polarization properties of comet light based on percent polarization measurements.
• Studying temporal changes in comet Halley's coma and tail based on observations spanning eight months.
• Comparing ground-based polarimetric data with spacecraft measurements referenced in the description.
• Modeling dust and gas particle characteristics in cometary atmospheres based on polarization data.

Strengths

• 884 specific polarimetric observations documented.
• 752 observations provide a consistent 'percent polarization' metric.
• Data spans a defined eight-month period during the comet's 1985-1986 apparition.
• Part of a curated NASA archive with discipline specialist evaluation.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count for the full Photometry and Polarimetry Network is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), International Halley Watch (IHW)

Collection Method

Observations submitted by scientists to the IHW and evaluated by Discipline Specialist Teams.

Time Range

1985-09 13 to 1986-05-17

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 13:59:12.435530; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Observations likely from various global ground-based observatories, specific locations unknown.