SP-404 Skylab's Astronomy and Space Sciences

Figure 4-23. Theoretical trajectories (syndynes) at 2400 GMT on December 29, 1973, of dust particles leaving the comet under the influence of a constant radiation pressure (zero initial velocity relative to the comet). The calcultations were made for four sizes of particles. Top: calculations for the comet's orbital plane. Bottom: calculations to the skyplane (i.e., an idealized observer's view from the Earth). The term 1-µ is the acceleration exerted on a particle by solar radiation pressure, expressed as a fraction of solar gravity on the particle. The term t is the time in seconds since the particles left the nucleus.

Figure 4-23. Theoretical trajectories (syndynes) at 2400 GMT on December 29, 1973, of dust particles leaving the comet under the influence of a constant radiation pressure (zero initial velocity relative to the comet). The calcultations were made for four sizes of particles. Top: calculations for the comet's orbital plane. Bottom: calculations to the skyplane (i.e., an idealized observer's view from the Earth). The term 1-µ is the acceleration exerted on a particle by solar radiation pressure, expressed as a fraction of solar gravity on the particle. The term t is the time in seconds since the particles left the nucleus.

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