West Ford Dipole Belt: Optical Detection at Palomar

Abstract

Optical detection of the West Ford orbiting dipole belt was accomplished on at least four occasions during the second week in May 1963. The maxi-mum surface brightness was about 4 percent of the night sky radiation at an effective wavelength of λ = 4400 Å The density of the belt has evidently decreased because it was not detected in a second observation period during the third week in June.

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