Occultation event with (2260) Neoptolemus, event index number 3274
Regions able to see the event: SAmericaN
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/02/20 02:02:17 UTC
J2000 position of star is 12:35:56.9 +19:18:03
Equinox of date position of star is 12:37:15.4 +19:09:26
Star is 156 degrees from the moon. Moon is 8% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=15.8, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=14.6
Use an exposure time of 1.30 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 5.4 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 24% with SNR of 1.3 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 14.4 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 15.9 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 135.6 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 18.7 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 2.5 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 12.1 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3257.7 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
80.2 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 5.6 sec for a central chord
32.7 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 2.3 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 76.4 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 2260_Neoptolemus, (2026/02/20 02:02UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Arcturus 14:16:51.3 +19:02:52 0.0 23.51 142 Vindemiatrix 13:03:28.7 +10:49:09 2.8 10.47 161 20 Com 12:31:01.9 +20:45:06 5.7 2.16 155 PPM 102023 12:38:07.0 +20:05:40 8.0 0.96 155 PPM 129158 12:35:56.5 +19:16:59 9.9 0.33 156 PPM 129188 12:38:00.6 +19:17:46 10.7 0.23 156 2260_Neoptolem 12:37:15.4 +19:09:26 14.6 156 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 2260_Neoptolemus, (2026/02/20 02:02UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Arcturus 14:15:37.7 +19:10:06 0.0 23.51 142 Vindemiatrix 13:02:10.1 +10:57:33 2.8 10.47 161 20 Com 12:29:43.3 +20:53:45 5.7 2.16 155 PPM 102023 12:36:48.7 +20:14:17 8.0 0.96 155 PPM 129158 12:34:38.0 +19:25:36 9.9 0.33 156 PPM 129188 12:36:42.2 +19:26:23 10.7 0.23 156 2260_Neoptolem 12:35:56.9 +19:18:03 14.6 156 Positions are for J2000