Occultation event with (31342) 98MU31, event index number 3345
Regions able to see the event: SAmericaN
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/03/04 00:24:37 UTC
J2000 position of star is 03:20:24.6 +01:04:42
Equinox of date position of star is 03:21:45.6 +01:10:17
Star is 120 degrees from the moon. Moon is 100% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=16.1, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=16.3
Use an exposure time of 0.60 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 3.2 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 57% with SNR of 1.8 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 26.8 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 23.3 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 50.5 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 16.1 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 1.2 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 12.3 km.
The sky-plane scale is 4153.1 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
49.0 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 1.8 sec for a central chord
20.0 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 0.7 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 47.4 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 31342_98MU31, (2026/03/04 00:25UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:37:25.5 +16:33:35 0.8 24.16 100 Menkar 03:03:39.0 +04:11:27 2.5 5.44 124 95 Cet 03:19:42.9 -00:50:12 6.2 2.07 121 PPM 146456 03:21:06.0 +01:17:33 8.5 0.20 120 31342_98MU31 03:21:45.6 +01:10:17 16.3 120 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 31342_98MU31, (2026/03/04 00:25UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:35:55.4 +16:30:29 0.8 24.16 100 Menkar 03:02:16.8 +04:05:21 2.5 5.44 124 95 Cet 03:18:22.8 -00:55:51 6.2 2.07 121 PPM 146456 03:19:45.0 +01:11:57 8.5 0.20 120 31342_98MU31 03:20:24.6 +01:04:42 16.3 120 Positions are for J2000