Occultation event with (1404) Ajax, event index number 3361
Regions able to see the event: NZ
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/03/06 09:25:41 UTC
J2000 position of star is 10:58:24.0 +01:17:11
Equinox of date position of star is 10:59:44.7 +01:08:45
Star is 35 degrees from the moon. Moon is 91% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=13.5, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=14.3
Use an exposure time of 0.18 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 9.9 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 68% with SNR of 6.8 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 18.9 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 20.2 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 101.4 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 3.4 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 1.5 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 21.5 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3369.5 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, (2026/03/06 09:26UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Regulus 10:09:45.8 +11:50:18 1.3 16.37 51 55 Leo 10:57:03.2 +00:35:48 6.2 0.87 35 PPM 157393 11:00:08.4 +01:35:17 8.4 0.45 35 PPM 157406 11:01:08.2 +00:56:16 11.0 0.41 35 1404_Ajax 10:59:44.7 +01:08:45 14.3 35 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 1404_Ajax, (2026/03/06 09:26UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Regulus 10:08:21.9 +11:58:02 1.3 16.37 51 55 Leo 10:55:42.5 +00:44:13 6.2 0.87 35 PPM 157393 10:58:47.6 +01:43:44 8.4 0.45 35 PPM 157406 10:59:47.5 +01:04:43 11.0 0.41 35 1404_Ajax 10:58:24.0 +01:17:11 14.3 35 Positions are for J2000