This prediction update has been computed by Stephen Kerr based on astrometry from Ron Stone of the US Navel Observatory - Flagstaff Station. The HIP position of the target star has been used.

Summary:

The updated path lies a full 0.8" to the east of that given by Goffin with little shift in time. The path now clips the south-western portions of Tasmania with Hobart potentially very close to the edge of the predicted path (19:48:15 UT). The path includes the western half of Kangaroo Island (19:50:15 UT) and clips the tip of the Eyre Peninsula (19:50:35 UT). After crossing the The Great Victoria and Great Sandy Deserts, the path passes just to the southwest of Broome (19:55:25 UT).

OBSERVERS SHOULD NOTE THAT THIS UPDATE HAS BEEN GENERATED USING ONLY TWO ASTEROID POSITIONS ON CONSEQUTIVE DAYS. AS SUCH THE PATH IS RELATIVELY UNCERTAIN. FURTHER UPDATES MAY BE POSTED PRIOR TO THE EVENT.

THE EVENT AT ONE GLIMPSE:

• Date and approx. UT time of event: April 29, 2000 @ 19:56 UT
• Magnitude of target star: 9.60
• Magnitude drop [mag]: 3.5
• Estimated maximum duration [s]: 12.4
• Path description: See above.

• Approximate width [km]: 100

• Name: HIP 84523 = PPM 232858 = SAO 160417
• Constellation: Ophiuchus
• J2000 position [h,m,s; ^o,',"]: 17h 16m 42.449s; -17^o 09' 11.59"
• Position source: HIP
• V mag [mag]: 9.60
• B-V [mag]: +1.16
• Remarks:
• The target star is just over two degress south east of eta Oph and 1.5 degrees north west of Messier 9 (Globular Cluster).

• Number, name: (694) Ekard
• Approx. diameter [km]: 92.7
• Source of used astrometry: US Navel Observatory - Flagstaff Station (Ron Stone)
• Number of used observations: 2
• Number of rejected observations: 0
• Time covered by the observations: 2000 04 16 - 2000 04 17

• UT date and time of least geocentric approach: 2000 April 29, 19:57.085 UTC
• Approx. V mag of minor planet at event [mag]: 13.1
• Geocentric parallax of minor planet ["]: 5.41
• Magnitude drop [mag]: 3.5
• Estimated maximum duration [s]: 12.4
• Apparent motion of minor planet ["/h]: 22.79
• Angular distance to moon, phase of moon [deg,%]: 85, 22%
• Update computed by: Kerr (OCCULT 4.2)

IMPORTANT NOTE!

Astrometric updates such as these should not be taken as definitive, but rather only as an indication of where the true track may lie relative to the original predicted track. Observers must bear in mind that later astrometry, in which the target star is measured in the same field as the asteroid, may still reveal substantial changes to the predicted track and time of the event. For this reason it is most important that observers far from the predicted track still monitor the event.