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Updated: 2015 Dec 01, 15:41 UT
Event Rank : 58
(The event Rank is a measure of the likelihood of observing an event, and is equal to the probability of at least one successful observation by a team of two observers spaced 1/8 path width just inside opposite sides of the predicted path. An event rank of 100 indicates that the prediction is expected to be very accurate).
THE UPDATED PATH
Note: The duration given in the line below is the interval during which the occultation shadow sweeps across the Earth - please see the minute markers on the map to determine the approximate time for your location.
On 2016 Jan 27 UT, the 45 km diameter asteroid (132) Aethra will occult a 10.5 mag star in the constellation Pyxis for observers along a path across New Zealand, passing near Gisborne and Whakatane.
In the case of an occultation, the combined light of the asteroid and the star will drop by 1.2 mag to 11.3 mag (the magnitude of the asteroid) for at most 4.1 seconds.
This update is based on UNSO/Flagstaff astrometry for the asteroid kindly provided by Hugh Harris, historical astrometry from the MPC files (via AstDys), and the following catalogs for the star position: UCAC.
Additional details of this and other events are available at Steve Preston's website at http://www.asteroidoccultation.com/
EVENT DETAILS SUMMARY :Important Note regarding Accuracy:
The uncertainty interval in path widths given above (and shown as a 1-sigma uncertainty ellipse on the plot) refers to RMS deviation and is applied as a +/- range. In other words, a path uncertainty of 1.0 path widths means that the actual center of the asteroid's shadow path should fall within plus or minus 1 path width of the plotted path center. However path errors larger than 1 sigma have been observed so observers should be alert for primary occultations within plus or minus 3 sigma of the updated path.
Further, almost all asteroidal satellites discovered so far have been found within 10 diameters of the asteroid (since this distance is deep enough within the gravitational well to be stable over long timescales). Therefore, if monitoring for secondary events, observing out to about 10 path-widths either side of the predicted track remains worthwhile.
We therefore recommend that you monitor for events if your observing location is up to +/- 10 path-widths from the predicted track. If not monitoring for occultations by secondary bodies you should observe from locations within 3 sigma of the nominal path.
In terms of time, the predictions are now usually accurate to about +/- 0.3 minute so you should be most attentive during the predicted minute of the event. However if intending to catch a potential satellite occultation you should start observing at least 10 times the predicted central duration before the predicted closest approach time for your location, and continue for a similar period afterwards.
Occultation of TYC 7161-00889-1 by 132 Aethra on 2016 Jan 27
Centre Star Star Sun Path Limit1 Path Limit2 Error Limit1 Error Limit2
E. Longitude Latitude U.T. Alt Az Alt
o ' " o ' " h m s o o o o ' " o ' " o ' " o ' " o ' " o ' " o ' " o ' "
Longitude Latitude Longitude Latitude Longitude Latitude Longitude Latitude
177 24 38 -37 14 35 16 17 34 53 258 -12 177 43 30 -37 12 12 177 5 48 -37 16 55 178 24 25 -37 6 49 176 25 16 -37 21 45
177 33 29 -38 23 9 16 17 46 53 259 -11 177 52 38 -38 20 44 177 14 22 -38 25 31 178 34 9 -38 15 18 176 33 14 -38 30 24
177 44 2 -39 31 30 16 17 57 53 261 -10 178 3 30 -39 29 3 177 24 38 -39 33 54 178 45 40 -39 23 31 176 42 51 -39 38 52
177 56 25 -40 39 38 16 18 9 53 262 -9 178 16 11 -40 37 8 177 36 41 -40 42 5 178 59 2 -40 31 31 176 54 12 -40 47 8
178 10 43 -41 47 35 16 18 21 53 263 -9 178 30 49 -41 45 2 177 50 38 -41 50 5 179 14 24 -41 39 18 177 7 26 -41 55 14
Uncertainty in time = +/- 4 secs
Prediction of 2015 Dec 1.0
Use these links for further information:
[Planetary Occultations]
[Using the Predictions]
[Observing Details]
[Timing Details]
[Reporting Details]
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[Asteroid Occultation Results]
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