Ocean Optics spectrometer captures Hale-Bopp spectra

17 Jun 2002

Ocean Optics, Inc., learned that its high-sensitivity S2000 fiber optic spectrometer could capture spectra of the Hale-Bopp comet, which was 122 million miles awayat its closest approach to earth. Amateur astronomers Nick Glomac and Joseph Sivo obtained spectra between 350 - 520 nm over a one-minute integration period withoptical resolution less than 1.0 nm. Bucknell University physicist David Lien was hampered by slightly polluted skies in Lewisberg, Pennsylvania, but coupled a 200micron optical filter to a 10" Clark refractor to collect the signal between 360 - 850 nm, averaging the spectra obtained over four 40-second integration periods andrecording the result as a single spectrum.