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Extensive observations of comet 260P (McNaught) were carried out betweenAugust 2012 and January 2013. The images obtained were used to analyze theinner coma morphology of the comet at resolutions ranging from 250 to about1000 km/pixel. A deep investigation of the dust features in the inner comaallowed us to identify only a single main active source on the nucleus of thecomet, at an estimated latitude of -50 deg +/-15 deg. A thorough analysis ofthe appearance and of the motion of the morphological structures, supported bygraphic simulations of the geometrical conditions of the observations, allowedus to determine a pole orientation located within a circular spot of a 15deg-radius centered at RA=60 deg, Dec=0 deg. The rotation of the nucleus seemsto occur on a single axis and is not chaotic, furthermore no precession effectscould be estimated from our measurements. The comet's spin axis never reachedthe plane of the sky from October 2012 to January 2013; during this period itdid not change its direction significantly (less than 30 deg), thus giving usthe opportunity to observe mainly structures such as bow-shaped jets departingfrom the single active source located on the comet's nucleus. Only during themonths of August 2012 and January 2013 the polar axis was directed towards theEarth at an angle of about 45 deg from the plane of the sky; this made itpossible to observe the development of faint structures like fragments ofshells or spirals. A possible rotation period of 0.340 +/-0.01 days wasestimated by means of differential photometric analysis.

Comet McNaught (260P/2012 K2): spin axis orientation and rotation period