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OCCULTATION OF UCAC4 306_198489 BY 29 Amphertrite
2014 October 01


Two "probable" misses were recorded for this event.

View the TT14 prediction.

As can be seen from the prediction the predicted mag drop is only 0.10m and worse in red. The asteroid is brighter than the star so we can expect a light curve where the signal may well be swamped by the noise.

Observers:
  1(M) D Gault,Kuriwa Observatory, NSW, AU  
  2(M) T Barry,Werrington Downs, NSW        
  3(P) Prediction, TT14 27 Sept             


        

Amphertrite occultation__ 2014 October 01

Discussion:

The circle above is plotted at the expected 206 km diameter of Amphertrite. The DAMIT 3D model has been overlaid on the measured ellipse and shows that the circle is a reasonable fit.

The figure below shows the AOTA attempt to locate a signal in light curve of Dave's observation.

Amphertrite occultation__ 2014 October 01 There is an interesting small blip of about 2 seconds long (c.f. 10.4 predicted max) that it is tempting to think could be a graze.
However there is no sign of a corresponding dip that would be expected in Tony's nearby lightcurve below.

Amphertrite occultation__ 2014 October 01
So with no definite positive chords we cannot say where the actual path was, so the circle has been plotted on the predicted path.
The point of this discussion is that very low mag drop events are probably not worth observing. And while we cannot assert that there was an event neither can we completely rule it out. See also the Juno event later this month where a mag drop of 0.2 was observed by Dave.

Observational Data:

Observation details for MP ( 29 ) Amphitrite
By Star              UCAC4 306-198489
On 2014-10-01  at 10:52:22.0

_______________________________

Observer   Dave Gault
Location   Kuriwa Observatory, NSW, AU
Longitude  +150:38
Latitude   -33:39
Altitude   286 m
Datum      WGS84
Telescope SCT including Cass and Mak
Aperture   30 cm
Seeing     Steady Clear
Camera Type  Grasshopper Express with ADVS              ADVS
Camera Delay 0
Timing     GPS - time inserted Video with frame analysis

Missed

Comments: Predicted mag. drop = 0.06.  
Test Exposure of asteroid at T-20 minutes revealed both exposed OK @ 3.75 fps 
Confident that I can report a miss rather than a not detected. 
test image and .csv files included with report.

_______________________________

Observer   Tony Barry
Location   Werrington Downs, NSW
Longitude  +150:43
Latitude   -33:44
Altitude   66 m
Datum      WGS84
Telescope SCT including Cass and Mak
Aperture   25 cm
Seeing     Steady Clear
Camera Type  Grasshopper Express with ADVS              ADVS
Camera Delay 0
Timing     GPS - time inserted Video with frame analysis

Missed

Comments: John, this in my opinion was a miss.  Your opinion is always welcome.  


        

Return to 2014 occultation results



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