Occultation event with (3240) Laocoon, event index number 4729
Regions able to see the event: SAmericaN
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/11/17 05:10:57 UTC
J2000 position of star is 04:50:34.3 +24:30:39
Equinox of date position of star is 04:52:12.6 +24:33:18
Star is 112 degrees from the moon. Moon is 47% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=16.1, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=15.4
Use an exposure time of 0.75 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 3.5 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 35% with SNR of 1.2 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 16.2 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 17.8 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 83.0 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 12.2 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 0.4 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 33.3 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3277.7 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
52.7 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 3.2 sec for a central chord
21.5 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 1.3 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 51.7 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 3240_Laocoon, (2026/11/17 05:11UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:37:28.0 +16:33:40 0.8 8.71 108 3Iot Aur 04:58:44.9 +33:12:22 2.7 8.77 114 PPM 093742 04:47:20.1 +23:40:31 6.1 1.42 111 PPM 093877 04:56:15.6 +23:58:46 8.5 1.09 113 PPM 093822 04:52:53.1 +24:20:04 9.4 0.27 113 PPM 093819 04:52:36.7 +24:19:21 11.2 0.25 113 3240_Laocoon 04:52:12.6 +24:33:18 15.4 113 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 3240_Laocoon, (2026/11/17 05:11UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:35:55.4 +16:30:29 0.8 8.71 108 3Iot Aur 04:56:59.6 +33:09:57 2.7 8.77 114 PPM 093742 04:45:42.5 +23:37:41 6.1 1.42 111 PPM 093877 04:54:37.6 +23:56:16 8.5 1.09 113 PPM 093822 04:51:14.9 +24:17:26 9.4 0.27 113 PPM 093819 04:50:58.5 +24:16:43 11.2 0.25 113 3240_Laocoon 04:50:34.3 +24:30:39 15.4 112 Positions are for J2000