The list shows occultations of possible double stars during May. 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 May 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.

ARCHIVING 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.

********************************************************************************
 d P    Star  Mag    %         Double details        WDS or   Area of
May
 1 D   96610# 8.1   30+ : AB  8.2 10.1  0.52"  61.0  COU 925  ,AkChW
 1 d   96739  8.4   31+ : **  9.1  9.1  0.05" 350.0  OCc1351  BCMRST,AkChIW
 1 d   96790  8.9   31+ : **  9.7  9.7  0.10"  90.0  OCc  31  BCMRST
 1 d   96784  9.2   31+ : **  9.8  9.8  0.10"  90.0  OCc  30  BCMST
 2 d   97651  9.3   41+ : **  9.7  9.7  0.10"  90.0  OCc  32  ,AkChIW
 2 d   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRST,AkChIW
 2 d    1255  8.2   42+ : **  9.0  9.0  0.05" 350.0  OCc1385  BCMRST
 5 D    1609  4.6   74+ : AB  4.7 11.0  4.9"  267.9  KUI  54  BCRST
 6 d   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRST,AkChIW
 7 d   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRST,AkChIW
 8 D    1923  7.0   94+ : AB  7.0 10.9  0.40" 268.5  HDS1881  BCMRST,AkChIW
 8 d   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRST,AkChIW
 9 D    2035  7.2   98+ : AB  7.0  8.1        132.0  CHR 221  BCMRST,AkChW
 9 d  139803  8.5   98+ : AB  9.38 8.98 0.51"  35.9  BU  139  BCMRST,AkChW
 9 D    2043  6.5   98+ : **  7.4  7.4  0.10"  90.0  OCc  16  BRST

11 r  159415# 8.2  100- : AB  8.78 9.09 0.04" 102.3  HDS2210  ,AkChW
11 r    2279* 6.1   99- : **  7.0  7.0  0.10"  90.0  OCc1485  M
12 r    2365  7.3   98- : AB  7.60 8.78 0.27"  52.1  RST3950  ,AkChIW
12 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    CMRST,AkChIW
12 r X 41431  8.9   97- : AB  9.7  9.8  3.4"   85.0  SKI  10  CM
13 r    2495# 6.0   94- : AB 6.34  7.56 2.42" 263.5  BU  126  CMST,AkChIW
        2495 B star is  X141441     
                        : AC 6.34 11.2 12.1"  137.5  BU  126  CMST,AkChIW
   ***  2495 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 233441374}
13 r  160513  8.6   94- : **  9.2  9.2  0.10"  90.0  OCc  14  BCMST,AkChIW
13 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRST,AkChIW
14 r X 43398  7.4   89- : **  8.8  8.8  0.05" 350.0  OCc1528  ,AkChIW
14 r  161179  9.2   88- : AB  9.4  9.8  7.4"   85.9  VAT   2  ,AkChIW
14 r X152648  8.6   88- :     8.6  9.4  7.7"  120.6  OCC1538  BCMRST,AkChIW
14 r X152651  9.4   88- :     9.4  8.6  7.7"  300.6           ,AkChIW
   *** X152651 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 227173061}
14 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRST,AkChIW
14 r X152851  9.4   88- : AB  9.5 11.3  6.7"   46.6  B  2859  ,AkW
                        : AC  9.5 12.3 11.5"  148.8  STN 108  ,AkW
   *** X152851 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 227065848}
14 r X 43463# 8.3   89- : **  8.5 10.8  0.25" 121.5  OCc1822  ,I
14 r X 43583  8.1   88- : AB  8.1 12.7  4.6"  151.5  RST3167  BCMRST,AkChIW
14 r  161229  8.8   88- : **  9.6 10.6  0.05" 296.0  OCc 566  BCMRST,AkChIW
14 r  161245* 8.9   88- : AB  8.9 11.9  2.5"  257.0  B  1885  BCMRST,AkChIW
14 r X153948# 9.4   88- : **  9.9 10.5  0.07"  54.0  OCc1748  BCMRST,AkChIW
14 R  161255* 7.4   88- : Aab 6.8  9.3        265.0  SNA  85  BCMRST,AkChIW
                        : AC  6.7 12.6  5.1"   88.0  SNA  85  BCMRST,AkChIW
14 r  161257*?7.7   88- : **  9.0  9.0  0.05" 350.0  OCc1539  BCMRST,AkChIW
14 R    2658# 5.8   87- : **  6.2  6.2  0.05" 350.0  OCc1542  MS,AkChIW
14 r  161399  9.2   87- : AB  9 8 10.7  0.10" 192.0  CHR 235  ,AkChIW
14 r  161400# 9.2   87- : **  9.4 10.1  0.20" 228.0  OCc 474  BCMRST,Ak
15 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRST,ChW
15 r    2764# 6.4   82- : **  7.1  7.1  0.10"  90.0  OCc1561  ,AkChIW
15 R    2787? 6.3   81- : AB  6.35 9.16 0.70" 108.6  HDS2710  BCMRS,AkChW
   ***  2787 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 218473951}
15 R    2794# 6.6   81- : **  7.5  7.5  0.10"  90.0  OCc1569  BCRST,AkW
16 r  163176* 9.3   73- : AB  9.5       0.40"  94.0  ARU  18  BRT
16 r  163192  7.9   72- : **  9.1  9.1  0.25"  90.0  OCc 340  BCMST,AkChW
                        : AB  8.0  8.3 15.8"  134.8  HJ 2918  BCMST,AkChW
16 r  163194 10.0   72- : AB 10.1       0.40" 159.0  ARU  19  BR,Ak
17 r    3029  7.0   64- : **  7.7  7.7  0.10"  90.0  OCc 290  ,AkChIW
17 r  163882* 9.3   64- : **  9.9  9.9  0.10"  83.0  OCc1007  ,AkChIW
17 r  164051  9.0   62- : **  9.7  9.7  0.05" 109.0  OCc1006  M
18 r  164652  9.1   53- : AB  8.7 10.0  0.56"  77.8  HWE  58  R
                        : CA  9.1  8.7  4.0"  262.1  STF2826  R
19 r  165111  8.7   44- : Aab 8.8 11.4  0.40"  71.0  HDS3183  ,Ak
   *** 165111 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 206189649}
19 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRST,AkChIW
19 r    3301  8.8   44- : AB  8.8 11.7  8.7"  292.5  BU  174  ,ChIW
19 R    3325  6.9   42- : **  7.5  7.5  0.004"350.0  OCc1628  BRT
   ***  3325 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 206225297}
20 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMST,AkChIW
20 R    3472  6.9   31- : **  7.8  7.8  0.10"  90.0  OCc1644  CMRT
   ***  3472 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 246231360}
20 r  146777  9.2   31- : AB  9.3 11.2  0.76"  71.8  HDS5537  R
21 r X   376  9.7   22- : AB  9.8 11.0  3.5"  167.0  BU  777  ,ChIW
21 R      55# 6.4   21- : AB  6.47 8.91 0.40" 281.0  HDS  61  M
22 R  109800  7.6   13- : AB  7.7 10.8  1.15" 336.7  BAR   2  CMS
      109800:  B star is X58211
22 r   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    ,AkChIW
23 r X  3092 10.0    6- : AB 10.5 10.8  0.60" 145.0  HEI 438  CMST
23 R  110398  9.3    6- : **  9.1 10.1  0.20" 277.0  OCc1179  ,AkChIW
24 r     464* 6.1    2- : AB  6.1       0.50"  23.0  CHR   8  ,Ak

27 d X  7660  9.0    3+ : **  9.1 11.3  0.01" 257.0  OCc1279  M
28 d   78788  8.4    9+ : **  9.2  9.2  0.10" 104.0  OCc 890  B,I
29 d   97350  9.1   17+ : AB  9.2 12.7  7.6"  320.2  COU  44  BR
29 d   97409  9.6   18+ : AB 10.3 10.5  0.50" 110.0  TDS5380  BR
30 d   98189  9.2   26+ : AB  9.7 10.2  0.30"  62.7  A  2474  BST,AkChW
30 d   98193  9.5   27+ : **  9.9  9.9  0.10" 331.0  OCc 806  BRT,AkW
   *** 98193 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 211736487}
30 d   *** Kepler Stars occulted, light curves are desired    BCMRST,AkChIW
30 D   98223  8.3   27+ : Aab 9.0  9.2  0.25" 170.7  TOK 196  BCMRST,AkChIW
       98223  Ab is X112300   
                        : AB  9.0  9.2  1.7"  167.4  AG  338  BCMRST,AkChIW
   *** 98223 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 211750200}
30 D   98229  8.1   27+ : **  9.2  9.2  0.10" 345.0  OCc 807  BRT,Ak
   *** 98229 is in the Kepler2 program {ID = 211721876}
31 d X 14772 10.1   37+ : AB 10.2 10.8  2.5"  343.2  HEI  58  ,AkChIW

======================================================================

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

NZ (following a ,) Ak Auckland, W Wellington, Ch Christchurch, I Invercargill.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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
==================================================================

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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