Update for (372) Palma - August 6/7, 2000

  • Update computed by Jan Manek;   issued 02 Aug 2000 16:33:20 +0200 (CEST)

  • Jan Manek's update

                        IOTA/IOTA-ES occultation update for
           (372) Palma / HIP 11333 = SAO 55544 event on August 6/7, 2000
         visible from NW Africa, Spain, W France, SE England and W Belgium
    
    
    Summary 

    In the morning of August 6/7, 2000 a bright 7.3 mag star HIP 11333 = SAO 55544 will be occulted by a large 195 km asteroid (372) Palma. This update is based on USNO/Flagstaff, TMO and Stefanik Observatory astrometry for the asteroid and modified Hipparcos star position.

    The updated path shows large ~0.5" NW shift with time ~0.5 minutes later compared to Edwin Goffin's nominal prediction. Due to the large shift wrt. to Goffin's nominal prediction using fresh orbit, I've asked Martin Federspiel to check my results and he fully confirmed my finding of this large shift.

    The path of this occultation runs over NW Africa with last African country being Morocco ~3:24 UT. Path runs north to Spain over Gibraltar ~3:24.5 UT into middle Spain with Madrid ~3:25.0 UT and Pamplona ~3:25.3 UT. Observatory Pic du Midi is on the east limit at the same time. Later centerline runs along atlantic coast of south France with Bordeaux in path ~3:25.5 UT. Then path gets more into midland, runs over Tours ~3:25.6 UT, Paris is in path close to eastern border ~3:25.8 UT. Western part of Belgium is in path shortly before 3:26.0 UT and at the same time eastern limit runs over very east England and later eastern limit runs over western Netherlands. In strong twilight the path finaly runs over southern Norway ~3:27 UT.

    Considering the 1 path width uncertainity many other places have chance - London is less than 0.5 path width west of west limit while Bruxelles is just out of east limit.

    As the star is quite bright, high in the sky and event has large brightness drop, this is a very good opportunity for many people. Good binocular on tripod will be sufficient! Try to organise groups for better coverage of the profile and alert observers within your reach to let them try.

    Good luck !!!

    
    The event at one glimpse:
     * date and approx. UT time of event: August 7, 2000 @ 03:25 UT
     * magnitude of target star: 7.3
     * magnitude drop [mag]: 5.0
     * estimated maximum duration [s]: 8.3
     * path description: given above
     * Goffin's original chart reference: A00_0817
    
    The occultation path:
     * approximate ground width [km]: 220
     * uncertainty [path widths]: 1.0
     * uncertainty in time [s]: 10
     * map: below
     * remarks: Path uncertainities are given according to nominal star
        position errors and expected asteroid positional accuracy.
        !!!!!!!
        Circles along path indicates the centerline for this event.
        They are more accurate than the path limit lines.
        !!!!!!!
    
    Data for the target star:
     * name: HIP 11333 = SAO 55544 = PPM 67322 = TYC 2333-1107-1
     * constellation: Triangulum
     * J2000 position [h,m,s; o,',"]: 02h 25m 49.942s; +37o 00' 49.24"
     * position source: Hipparcos
     * estimated accuracy ["]: 0.01 (0.01", 0.01")
     * V mag [mag]: 7.28
     * B-V [mag]: +1.69
     * remarks: 
         Target star is in very north Triangulum, close to border with Andromeda.
         Famous triple star 2.2 mag gamma Andromedae is 6.8 degrees NW of target
         and 3.0 mag beta Trianguli is 3.8 degrees SW of target. Target star is
         very red and this should be easily found compared to 7.3 mag blue star
         SAO 55530 which is only 9' NW of target.
    
    Close finding chart (prepared in GUIDE7):
     * occulted star is in center - labeled with cross
     * field is 3.0x3.0 degrees
     * limiting magnitude is 12.5
     * labeled stars have indicated SAO numbers
    
    

    Close finding chart Data for the minor planet: * general information: number, name: (372) Palma approx. diameter [km]: 195 * orbital information orbit source: calculation Manek source of used astrometry: USNO/Flagstaff (Ron Stone), TMO (Bill Owen), Stef.Obs (Jan Manek) number of used observations: 21 USNO, 3 TMO, 2 Stef.Obs number of rejected observations: 5 USNO time covered by the observations: 1999 06 22 - 2000 08 01 rms residuals ["] (RA,DE): 0.06", 0.08" estimated positional accuracy at epoch of event ["]: 0.10" remarks: There only few this year's positions, so estimated accuracy is somewhat larger than RMS values of solution. Data for the event: * UT date and time of least geocentric approach: 03:25.7 UT * approx. V mag of minor planet at event [mag]: 12.3 * geocentric parallax of minor planet ["]: 3.670 * magnitude drop [mag]: 5.0 * estimated maximum duration [s]: 8.3 * apparent motion of minor planet ["/h]: 48.97 * angular distance to moon, phase of moon [deg,%]: 154, 50% * remarks: Calculator(s): Jan Manek

    Updated path location for (372) Palma on August 6/7, 2000 Path coordinates: Altitude E. Longitude Latitude U.T. star sun ........ shortened .......................... o ' " o ' " h m s o o - 10 13 44 24 0 0 3 23 45 54 -34 - 9 46 35 25 0 0 3 23 49 54 -33 - 9 19 35 26 0 0 3 23 54 55 -32 - 8 52 42 27 0 0 3 23 59 56 -31 - 8 25 57 28 0 0 3 24 3 57 -30 - 7 59 16 29 0 0 3 24 8 58 -29 - 7 32 41 30 0 0 3 24 13 58 -29 - 7 6 8 31 0 0 3 24 17 59 -28 - 6 39 38 32 0 0 3 24 22 60 -27 - 6 13 8 33 0 0 3 24 27 61 -26 - 5 46 39 34 0 0 3 24 32 61 -25 - 5 20 7 35 0 0 3 24 36 62 -24 - 4 53 33 36 0 0 3 24 41 62 -23 - 4 26 55 37 0 0 3 24 46 63 -22 - 4 0 11 38 0 0 3 24 51 64 -21 - 3 33 20 39 0 0 3 24 56 64 -20 - 3 6 21 40 0 0 3 25 1 64 -19 - 2 39 11 41 0 0 3 25 6 65 -18 - 2 11 49 42 0 0 3 25 11 65 -17 - 1 44 14 43 0 0 3 25 16 66 -16 - 1 16 23 44 0 0 3 25 21 66 -15 - 0 48 14 45 0 0 3 25 26 66 -14 - 0 19 44 46 0 0 3 25 31 66 -13 0 9 7 47 0 0 3 25 35 66 -12 0 38 24 48 0 0 3 25 40 66 -12 1 8 8 49 0 0 3 25 45 66 -11 1 38 23 50 0 0 3 25 50 66 -10 2 9 13 51 0 0 3 25 55 66 -9 2 40 40 52 0 0 3 26 0 66 -8 3 12 49 53 0 0 3 26 5 66 -7 3 45 45 54 0 0 3 26 10 66 -6 4 19 31 55 0 0 3 26 15 65 -5 4 54 14 56 0 0 3 26 20 65 -4 ........ shortened .......................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jan Manek Stefanik Observatory Private : Petrin 205 Werichova 950 118 46 Praha 1 152 00 Praha 5 - Barrandov |_|_| Czech Republic Czech Republic / \ Internet : jmanek@mbox.vol.cz |-O-O-| --------------------------------------------------------------------U---U---

    Be sure to use the RELOAD button of your browser,
    so you will surely use the latest version of predictions page!