Occultation event with (1404) Ajax, event index number 3486
Regions able to see the event: Australia
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/03/22 12:11:25 UTC
J2000 position of star is 10:50:12.9 +01:43:49
Equinox of date position of star is 10:51:33.9 +01:35:27
Star is 116 degrees from the moon. Moon is 15% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=15.7, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=14.5
Use an exposure time of 1.20 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 5.8 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 26% with SNR of 1.5 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 17.3 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 18.3 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 102.9 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 20.7 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 1.6 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 21.0 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3404.0 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
83.2 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 4.8 sec for a central chord
34.0 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 2.0 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 84.0 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 1404_Ajax, (2026/03/22 12:11UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Regulus 10:09:46.0 +11:50:17 1.3 14.57 102 55 Leo 10:57:03.3 +00:35:48 6.2 1.69 117 PPM 157292 10:53:34.5 +00:53:08 6.6 0.87 116 PPM 157273 10:52:40.2 +01:52:16 9.3 0.39 116 PPM 157263 10:52:23.6 +01:20:30 10.7 0.32 116 1404_Ajax 10:51:33.9 +01:35:27 14.5 116 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 1404_Ajax, (2026/03/22 12:11UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Regulus 10:08:21.9 +11:58:02 1.3 14.57 102 55 Leo 10:55:42.5 +00:44:13 6.2 1.69 117 PPM 157292 10:52:13.7 +01:01:31 6.6 0.87 116 PPM 157273 10:51:19.2 +02:00:38 9.3 0.39 116 PPM 157263 10:51:02.7 +01:28:53 10.7 0.32 116 1404_Ajax 10:50:12.9 +01:43:49 14.5 116 Positions are for J2000