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J.F. Kielkopf, P.M. Graham (Physics Dept., Univ. Louisville)
A wide field spectral imaging telescope was used to observe Comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 01) from 23 February through 10 April 1997. The instrument has a 4~Å~\times~11 arcsecond single pixel resolution over a 4000~Å~\times~3.2\circ field.
Spectra presented here exhibit the development and spatial distribution of several ions and molecules present in the coma and tails of this comet. They include H2O+, CO+, C2, CN, [OI], Na~I, and OH. Cometary H\alpha emission was detected on the two dates bordering perihelion.
In addition, there is a spectrum of a dawn twilight clear sky which is remarkable in the presence of a bright narrow Na~D emission of the order of 2000~R above nearby continuum -- the twilight airglow sodium flash.
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The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: pam@moondog.astro.louisville.edu