Polarimetric and Spectroscopic Observations of a Dynamically New Comet C/2012 J1 (Catalina)

We present the analysis of the polarimetric and spectral data obtained for the dynamically new comet C/2012,J1 (Catalina) when it was at a distance of 3.17~AU from the Sun. The observations were made at the prime focus of the 6-m BTA telescope using the SCORPIO-2 focal reducer. The map of the distribution of linear polarization in the cometary coma was constructed. The calculated value of linear polarization was on average about $-2\mathrm{\%}$. Spectral analysis of the cometary coma allowed us to detect the emission of the CN molecule in the (0–0) band. The gas production rate was derived using the Haser model and amounted to $3.7\times {10}^{23}$~molecules per second.