Occultation event with (1404) Ajax, event index number 3341
Regions able to see the event: Australia
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/03/03 17:52:14 UTC
J2000 position of star is 10:59:47.8 +01:13:00
Equinox of date position of star is 11:01:08.4 +01:04:33
Star is 4 degrees from the moon. Moon is 100% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=15.1, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=14.3
Use an exposure time of 1.10 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 8.4 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 32% with SNR of 2.7 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 18.9 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 20.1 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 101.1 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 20.7 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 1.4 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 21.5 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3369.4 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
83.2 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 4.4 sec for a central chord
34.0 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 1.8 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 84.0 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 1404_Ajax, (2026/03/03 17:52UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Regulus 10:09:45.8 +11:50:18 1.3 16.68 17 55 Leo 10:57:03.1 +00:35:49 6.2 1.13 5 PPM 157393 11:00:08.4 +01:35:17 8.4 0.57 4 PPM 157431 11:02:41.2 +01:09:55 9.9 0.40 4 PPM 157406 11:01:08.1 +00:56:16 11.0 0.14 4 1404_Ajax 11:01:08.4 +01:04:33 14.3 4 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 1404_Ajax, (2026/03/03 17:52UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Regulus 10:08:21.9 +11:58:02 1.3 16.68 17 55 Leo 10:55:42.5 +00:44:13 6.2 1.13 5 PPM 157393 10:58:47.6 +01:43:44 8.4 0.57 4 PPM 157431 11:01:20.6 +01:18:23 9.9 0.40 4 PPM 157406 10:59:47.5 +01:04:43 11.0 0.14 4 1404_Ajax 10:59:47.8 +01:13:00 14.3 4 Positions are for J2000