The list shows occultations of possible double stars during February. Although the main emphasis remains on stars with separations < 2", now that the more detailed lunar limb profile from LOLA is available, some wider pairs are included. Doubles predicted to be occulted by the Moon during February 2017 and visible from parts of Australia or New Zealand are included. The listing is a very abbreviated version of predictions produced by Occult plus an indication of the region of visibility. Observers need to generate their own precise predictions using Occult.

The list below is generated by OCCULT for a 25cm telescope. Some of the events could be beyond the reach of smaller telescopes. Observations of all pairs in the list are highly desirable. Those showing an OCc number have been reported as non-instantaneous at a lunar occultation. Confirmation or otherwise of any double nature is wanted.

*** Kepler stars: the nights on which they are occulted are indicated. Individual Keplers are only shown if they are also a known or possible double. Light curve of occultations of all Kepler stars are desired.

Please send reports of all observations of these stars to Brian Loader at palbrl@clear.net.nz, including any made in earlier months and not so far reported. And of course if you observe a stepped event for a star, which is not a known double, please report this. More details about reporting follow the predictions.

NEW - ARCHIVING OF OCCULTATION LIGHT CURVES

For ALL lunar occultations: single, double and Kepler K2 stars a csv file should be prepared for archiving. This can be done through the OBSERVATIONS EDITOR of OCCULT.

It will be necessary to generate a light curve using LIMOVIE and save or copy its csv file. You will also need to note the time, hh:mm:ss.sss of one frame and the corresponding frame number.

Then in the Observations Editor select the entry for the star and use the menu bar option to create a Light Curve Report. Follow the instructions on the new screen which appears. There is a help file. It is suggested that light curve reports be emailed in batches rather than singly. They are sent directly to Dave Herald from the program.

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 d P    Star  Mag    %         Double details        WDS or   Area of
Feb      No    v    ill      magnitudes sepn    PA?  OCC #    Visibility
 2 D  109800  7.6   30+ : AB  7.7 10.8  1.15" 336.7  BAR   2  BR
 3 d     334  8.5   42+ : **  9.0  9.6  0.10" 352.0  OCc 574  CMS
 4 D   93301  7.2   52+ : **  7.9  7.9  0.10" 263.0  OCc 575  BR
 4 D     464* 6.1   53+ : AB  6.1       0.50"  23.0  CHR   8  BR
 6 d   94294  7.6   74+ : **  8.7  8.7  0.10"  90.0  OCc  27  ,Ak
 6 D     764* 4.9   75+ : AB  5.8  5.8  0.10"  84.4  A  3010  BCRS,AkChIW
 7 D     913# 5.1   83+ : AB  5.1  6.1  0.06"  65.1  MCA  24  ,Ak
 7 d   95160  9.4   83+ : Aab 9.6 11.7  0.09" 152.8  HDS 823  ,Ak
 7 d   95361* 8.0   85+ : **  8.9  8.9  0.10" 303.0  OCc 605  BCMRS,AkChIW
 7 D     940* 5.8   85+ : Aab 5.8       0.10" 294.0  CHR 163  CMS,AkChIW
 7 d   95391  9.2   85+ : **  9.9  9.9  0.30"  47.0  OCc 431  BCMRS
   *** 95391 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 202063178}
 7 d   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    CMRS
 7 d   95426* 8.7   85+ : **  9.4  9.4  0.10" 236.0  OCc 604  BR
 7 d   95446* 9.0   85+ : AB  9.0 11.5  2.9"  102.8  A  2446  BCMRS
 7 D     947  5.2   85+ : AB  5.2 11.2  6.8"  185.2  HJ 2302  R
 8 d   96561  8.5   92+ : AB  8.8 10.2  0.17" 337.9  CHR 216  R
 8 d   96646  9.3   92+ : **  9.2 11.0  0.07" 262.0  OCc 359  BR
 8 d   96691  8.5e  92+ : AB  8.6 11.9  2.23" 290.1  A  2527  BCMS
 9 D    1236  5.1   97+ : AB  5.30 6.25 1.13"  13.1  STF1196  BRS,AkChW
                        : AC  5.3  5.8  6.3"   60.4  STF1196  BRS,AkChW
        1236:  B star is X108006   C star is S 97646  
 9 d   97651  9.3   97+ : **  9.7  9.7  0.10"  90.0  OCc  32  BCS
 9 d   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRS,AkChIW
 9 d X108490  9.4   97+ : AB 10.1 10.3  0.40" 288.0  TDS5668  R
10 d    1354# 7.5  100+ : AB  7.65 9.39 0.15" 357.0  HDS1323  ,AkChIW
10 d    1371  6.5  100+ : Aab 7.2  7.2  0.13" 119.3  FIN 347  BR,Ak

11 r    1466  5.3  100- : **  6.0  6.0  0.05" 350.0  OCc1407  ,Ak
12 r  118545  8.2   98- : AB  8.2 11.4  2.8"  98.3   A  2772  ,AkW
12 R    1609  4.6   97- : AB  4.7 11.0  4.9"  267.9  KUI  54  BCMRS
12 r  118656  8.7   97- : AB  8.8 10.2  8.3"  164.0  STF1507  BR
13 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRS,AkChIW
13 r  119118  9.3   92- : AB  9.3 10.0  8.7"  262.0  STF1580  S
13 r  119120  8.9   92- : **  9.7  9.7  0.15" 140.0  OCc1082  BCMRS
   *** 119120 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 201675720}
14 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRS,AkChIW
15 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRS,AkChIW
17 r    2137  6.6   61- : **  7.2  7.2  0.05" 350.0  OCc1469  BCRS,AkChW
19 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    ,AkChIW
20 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRS,AkChIW
20 r  160517* 8.6   33- : **  9.6 10.0  1.0"  320.0  OCc1501  ,AkChIW
20 r X 42373#10.1   33- : AB 10.1 11.3  1.7"  187.4  HU  171  ,AkChW
                        : AC 10.1 12.3  6.8"  210.0  HU  171  ,AkChW
20 r  160580  8.7   32- : AB  8.8  9.4  8.4"  194.2  HJ 2806  BCMRS,AkChIW
      160580:  B star is 160579
20 r  160598* 9.0   32- : **  9.9  9.9  0.10"  90.0  OCc  11  BCMRS,AkChIW
   *** 160598 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 227546022}
20 r X142637 10.2   32- : AB 10.1 12.3 11.6"  125.0  ARA 257  BCMRS
   *** X142637 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 227523306}
21 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    CMRS,AkChIW
21 R    2647* 6.5   24- : Aab 7.2  7.2  0.10" 270.0  OCc  12  ,AkChW
21 r  161399  9.2   23- : AB  9.8 10.7  0.10" 192.0  CHR 235  BR,Ak
21 r  161463# 8.4   23- : AB  8.6 10.1  0.10" 117.5  CHR 236  BCMR
22 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCM,AkChIW
22 R  162351  8.3   15- : AB  8.3 12.1  11.2"  31.3  BU  422  BCMRS,Ak
   *** 162351 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 218837285}
23 r X173019 11.5    8- : AB 11.4 11.5  2.7"  148.5  TDT2053  BM
24 R    3066  6.0    4- : AB  6.7  6.7  0.10" 350.0  OCc  19  ,ChIW

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Visibility codes:
Australia: B Brisbane, C Canberra, M Melbourne, R Rockhampton, S Sydney

NZ (following a ,) Ak Auckland, W Wellington, Ch Christchurch, I Invercargill.
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Stars with previous occultation observations: 

#: Observations indicating double - these need further checking
*: Observations not showing double - need confirmation
!: Recent video discoveries - confirmation needed.
?: Uncertain double observation, confirmation or otherwise needed



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Reporting Your Observations

The most convenient way of reporting is to use Dave Herald's OCCULT which has a Double Star report option in the Observations editor. Before using it, generate a light curve with Limovie and copy to the clip board. Your graph will be attached to the email which you can then send to palbrl@clear.net.nz.

Otherwise in reporting please include your name and positional data as for other occultations reports, also your telescope type and method of observing and timekeeping.

For each event give the star name and the times of each step of the event with the corresponding accuracy. The limb PA, Rv and Cct of the event would also be useful.

In addition to measures of the PA and separation of binary stars, there is also a need for an estimate of the magnitude difference. An estimate of this can be made from the step sizes shown by Limovie data. So if possible a determination should be made of the size of each step together with an estimate of accuracy.

Please also report cases where a double event is predicted but none detected. These are especially likely with stars shown with an OCc designation

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