Occultation event with (12444) Prothoon, event index number 3303
Regions able to see the event: SMexico
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/02/24 03:10:55 UTC
J2000 position of star is 02:10:36.8 +07:59:09
Equinox of date position of star is 02:11:59.9 +08:06:30
Star is 29 degrees from the moon. Moon is 46% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=15.8, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=15.9
Use an exposure time of 0.55 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 3.8 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 52% with SNR of 2.0 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 26.7 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 22.5 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 79.7 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 14.7 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 0.0 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 30.9 km.
The sky-plane scale is 4264.7 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
62.2 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 2.3 sec for a central chord
25.4 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 1.0 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 63.8 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 12444_Prothoon, (2026/02/24 03:11UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:37:25.5 +16:33:35 0.8 36.45 14 68Omi Cet 02:20:40.2 -02:51:37 2.0 11.18 36 65Xi 1Cet 02:14:23.4 +08:58:05 4.4 1.04 28 PPM 145318 02:09:42.8 +08:58:24 6.9 1.03 29 PPM 145353 02:12:12.5 +08:29:28 8.7 0.39 29 PPM 145352 02:12:11.4 +08:00:42 10.4 0.11 29 12444_Prothoon 02:11:59.9 +08:06:30 15.9 29 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 12444_Prothoon, (2026/02/24 03:11UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:35:55.4 +16:30:29 0.8 36.45 14 68Omi Cet 02:19:20.8 -02:58:46 2.0 11.18 36 65Xi 1Cet 02:13:00.0 +08:50:48 4.4 1.04 28 PPM 145318 02:08:19.5 +08:51:00 6.9 1.03 29 PPM 145353 02:10:49.3 +08:22:07 8.7 0.39 29 PPM 145352 02:10:48.3 +07:53:22 10.4 0.11 29 12444_Prothoon 02:10:36.8 +07:59:09 15.9 29 Positions are for J2000