1. Rosetta ground-based support campaign
Colin Snodgrass
Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research

2. Comet recovered

3. Activity?
Profile a good match to stars, no resolvable coma or tail

4. Activity? Predicted curve (blue) for bare nucleus
Purple the (approximate) fit from previous years coma
Brightness above bare nucleus.
Some rotational lightcurve, but weak activity more likely
More data coming soon…

5. Activity?

6. Observation plans VLT imaging ongoing until November
Visible wavelength VLT spectroscopy starts April, first deep search for gas in late June
Dates of gas search observations included in MTP plans for parallel ground+Rosetta observations
2 ALMA proposals submitted (Biver et al, Paganini et al) – panel meeting next week
Current round of proposal deadlines cover late 2014 observability period.
Landing period campaign – visibility poor, but observations from many telescopes as possible

7. Mailing list / Website
Google site and Google groups solution, as free and very simple to use –
Mailing list membership also gives access to ‘team only’ parts of website
Mailing list for communication between pro (and some advanced amateur) observers
Can only post to list as member
Anyone can apply, membership moderated

10. Amateur campaign
Amateur astronomers will make an important contribution to the Rosetta campaign
Especially around perihelion, when the comet is relatively bright but at low solar elongation
Compared with previous comet missions (e.g. DI), we need long term monitoring
Amateurs have an advantage here, they have lots of time
Necessary to keep them involved (interested) throughout mission

11. Amateur campaign
Amateur campaign will be run separately from pro group, but with connection to observers and project
Needs someone who is responsible for coordinating amateurs, quality control on data, archiving – significant amount of time
US Rosetta project will pay Padma Yanamandra-Fisher (part time) to perform this role – contract being finalised now.
From ISON campaign experience, Padma has already started developing website for amateur campaign(s), and Facebook group

13. Ground obs campaign meeting
Next meeting of ground campaign will take place at ESAC during the SWT week in June
12+13 June (Thu+Fri), parallel with probable Exec session on Thursday afternoon, and end by lunch Friday
Opportunity for direct discussions between Rosetta community and observers
Review of observations to date at that time, predictions on activity

14. For more details… Website: Mailing list associated with this:
Mailing list associated with this:

15. Visibility Predicted brightness in next years
Peak around R~13 at perihelion
Observability:
Southern hemisphere (and crowded field) in 2014
Close to Sun until after perihelion
Then in Northern sky