Vega 2 Magnetic Field Data at Halley Comet, 0.1-Second Resolution

High-resolution magnetic field measurements recorded by the Vega 2 spacecraft during its closest approach to Halley's Comet. The data is provided in a cometocentric solar ecliptic coordinate system at a 0.1-second sampling rate. This dataset was produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Modeling the comet's magnetic environment based on high-resolution magnetic field vectors.
• Analyzing solar wind interaction with a comet's coma based on spacecraft position and field data.
• Studying temporal variations in magnetic fields during a close planetary encounter.
• Validating simulations of comet-solar wind interactions based on in-situ spacecraft measurements.

Strengths

• Data is provided at a high temporal resolution of 0.1 seconds.
• Magnetic field and position data are aligned in a defined cometocentric solar ecliptic (CSE) coordinate system.
• Data covers a specific event of scientific interest: the Vega 2 spacecraft's closest approach to Halley's Comet.

Limitations

• The CSE coordinate system is described as valid only for a short time window of about 4 hours around closest approach.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and total data size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Recorded by instruments on the Vega 2 spacecraft during its flyby of Halley's Comet.

Time Range

Covers intervals around the spacecraft's closest approach to the comet.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 05:24:32.633325; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Data is spatial, collected in the vicinity of Halley's Comet within the solar system.