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Updated: 2014 Oct 05, 09:22 UT
Event Rank : 35
(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 2014 Oct 08 UT, the 32 km diameter asteroid (672) Astarte will occult a 11.3 mag star in the constellation Capricornus for observers along a somewhat uncertain path across New Zealand, passing over Wellington, New Plymouth, near Auckland and leaving near Cape Reinga.
In the case of an occultation, the combined light of the asteroid and the star will drop by 3.9 mag to 15.2 mag (the magnitude of the asteroid) for at most 7.7 seconds.
This update is based on UNSO/Flagstaff astrometry for the asteroid kindly provided by Alice Monet, 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 5800-00232-1 by 672 Astarte on 2014 Oct 8
Centre Star Star Sun Path Limits Error Limits
E. Longitude Latitude U.T. Alt Az Alt Limit 1 Limit 2 Limit 3 Limit 4
o ' " o ' " h m s o o o o ' " o ' " o ' " o ' "
Longitude Longitude Longitude Longitude
172 26 16 -34 0 0 9 42 5 68 337 -36 172 36 57 172 15 35 173 17 51 171 34 49
172 43 5 -35 0 0 9 41 40 67 338 -35 172 53 55 172 32 16 173 35 19 171 51 0
173 0 16 -36 0 0 9 41 15 66 338 -35 173 11 14 172 49 19 173 53 10 172 7 31
173 17 50 -37 0 0 9 40 50 65 339 -34 173 28 56 173 6 43 174 11 26 172 24 22
173 35 47 -38 0 0 9 40 25 64 339 -34 173 47 3 173 24 31 174 30 8 172 41 35
173 54 9 -39 0 0 9 40 1 63 339 -33 174 5 35 173 42 44 174 49 18 172 59 11
174 12 59 -40 0 0 9 39 36 62 340 -32 174 24 34 174 1 23 175 8 57 173 17 11
174 32 17 -41 0 0 9 39 12 61 340 -32 174 44 3 174 20 31 175 29 7 173 35 37
174 52 5 -42 0 0 9 38 48 60 340 -31 175 4 3 174 40 8 175 49 51 173 54 31
175 12 26 -43 0 0 9 38 25 59 340 -31 175 24 36 175 0 17 176 11 10 174 13 55
175 33 22 -44 0 0 9 38 1 58 340 -30 175 45 45 175 21 0 176 33 8 174 33 50
Uncertainty in time = +/- 15 secs
Prediction of 2014 Oct 5.0
Use these links for further information:
[Planetary Occultations]
[Using the Predictions]
[Observing Details]
[Timing Details]
[Reporting Details]
[Report Form]
[Asteroid Occultation Results]
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