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 and M. Devogèle
Additional contact information
S. Bagnulo: Armagh Observatory & Planetarium
A. Cellino: INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino
L. Kolokolova: University of Maryland
R. Nežič: Armagh Observatory & Planetarium
T. Santana-Ros: Universidad de Alicante
G. Borisov: Armagh Observatory & Planetarium
A. A. Christou: Armagh Observatory & Planetarium
Ph. Bendjoya: Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange
M. Devogèle: University of Central Florida

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract So far, only two interstellar objects have been observed within our Solar System. While the first one, 1I/‘Oumuamua, had asteroidal characteristics, the second one, 2I/Borisov, showed clear evidence of cometary activity. We performed polarimetric observations of comet 2I/Borisov using the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope to derive the physical characteristics of its coma dust particles. Here we show that the polarization of 2I/Borisov is higher than what is typically measured for Solar System comets. This feature distinguishes 2I/Borisov from dynamically evolved objects such as Jupiter-family and all short- and long-period comets in our Solar System. The only object with similar polarimetric properties as 2I/Borisov is comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp), an object that is believed to have approached the Sun only once before its apparition in 1997. Unlike Hale-Bopp and many other comets, though, comet 2I/Borisov shows a polarimetrically homogeneous coma, suggesting that it is an even more pristine object.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22000-x

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