Until now we have received 14 comet's section observations of comet C/1997 D1 (Mueller). Additional 72 observations give only preliminary results, but indicate a quite interesting light curve. Shortly before perihelion the comet faded significantly, thereafter the brightness stabilized itself for a while. One reason could be that the absolute magnitude dropped by one magnitude around perihelion, stayed for two month in a low-state-level, but in January increased to the original value. The diameter of the coma increased from 100.000 km to 125.000 km, the DC-value was very constant at 3.
Total Brightness and Coma Diameter
Andreas Kammerer
