Occultation event with (3451) Mentor, event index number 1711
Regions able to see the event: US,RECON
Geocentric closest approach at 2025/12/23 03:54:16 UTC
J2000 position of star is 04:41:03.8 -06:18:58
Equinox of date position of star is 04:42:20.1 -06:16:03
Star is 116 degrees from the moon. Moon is 9% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=16.2, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=13.7
Use an exposure time of 2.00 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 4.2 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 9% with SNR of 0.4 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 15.7 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 17.2 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 95.3 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 31.4 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 0.2 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 36.1 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3290.8 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
122.5 km assuming a 5% albedo, aximum of 7.8 sec for a central chord
50.0 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 3.2 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 126.3 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2025/12/23 03:54UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Rigel 05:15:47.2 -08:10:25 0.1 8.51 122 67Bet Eri 05:09:07.7 -05:03:17 2.8 6.78 122 PPM 187086 04:35:30.2 -06:47:08 6.4 1.77 114 PPM 187205 04:42:21.0 -06:41:57 7.4 0.43 116 PPM 187218 04:43:07.4 -06:12:43 9.4 0.20 116 3451_Mentor 04:42:20.1 -06:16:03 13.7 116 Positions are for equinox of date
This table contains the target star visibility for registered US sites that are relevant for this occultation. This list has been filtered to only those sites that can see the field and are within range of the shadow given the uncertainties. The observing time range has been calculated to cover the time of the event at each site with allowances for the event timing uncertainty plus time for obtaining a pre and post event baseline lightcurve. This set of stations has a 72.8 % chance of getting at least one chord. There is a 0.0% chance of 2 or more chords assuming clear weather for all.
| Site Name | Site mid-time (UT) |
Sun alt (deg) |
Sky | Moon | Star alt (deg) |
Star az (deg) |
Target | Observing Time | Xtrack (km) |
Prob |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIT | 03:54:42 | -65.0 | Dark | Down | 40.5 | 183.5 | Up | 03:54:44-04:00:44 | -31.4 | 0.728 | Getrost | 03:55:04 | -63.8 | Dark | Down | 42.5 | 177.8 | Up | 03:54:13-04:00:13 | -209.2 | 0.000 | Naylor Obs | 03:54:36 | -67.4 | Dark | Down | 43.4 | 184.7 | Up | 03:52:04-03:58:04 | -242.2 | 0.000 | Ryan Obs | 03:54:33 | -68.0 | Dark | Down | 43.7 | 185.6 | Up | 03:53:24-03:59:24 | -260.4 | 0.000 |
This table contains the target star visibility for registered RECON sites that are relevant for this occultation. This list has been filtered to only those sites that can see the field and are within range of the shadow given the uncertainties. The observing time range has been calculated to cover the time of the event at each site with allowances for the event timing uncertainty plus time for obtaining a pre and post event baseline lightcurve. This set of stations has a 100.0 % chance of getting at least one chord. There is a 99.9% chance of 2 or more chords assuming clear weather for all.
| Site Name | Site mid-time (UT) |
Sun alt (deg) |
Sky | Moon | Star alt (deg) |
Star az (deg) |
Target | Observing Time | Xtrack (km) |
Prob |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamloops | 03:57:41 | -36.3 | Dark | Down | 23.7 | 136.6 | Low | 03:54:47-04:00:47 | 107.6 | 0.071 | Kelowna | 03:57:40 | -37.0 | Dark | Down | 24.7 | 137.2 | Low | 03:54:48-04:00:48 | 61.1 | 0.429 | Peachland | 03:57:42 | -36.8 | Dark | Down | 24.7 | 136.9 | Low | 03:54:50-04:00:50 | 50.5 | 0.540 | Summerland | 03:57:42 | -36.9 | Dark | Down | 24.8 | 136.9 | Low | 03:54:54-04:00:54 | 41.2 | 0.637 | Penticton | 03:57:42 | -37.0 | Dark | Down | 24.9 | 137.0 | Low | 03:54:54-04:00:54 | 37.6 | 0.672 | Oliver | 03:57:43 | -37.0 | Dark | Down | 25.2 | 136.9 | Low | 03:54:49-04:00:49 | 13.1 | 0.845 | Anarchist Mountain Observatory | 03:57:42 | -37.1 | Dark | Down | 25.4 | 137.1 | Low | 03:54:59-04:00:59 | 3.7 | 0.868 | Okanogan | 03:57:45 | -37.1 | Dark | Down | 25.8 | 136.6 | Low | 03:55:00-04:01:00 | -44.6 | 0.601 | Brewster | 03:57:47 | -37.0 | Dark | Down | 25.9 | 136.4 | Low | 03:55:01-04:01:01 | -66.0 | 0.373 | Victoria | 03:57:58 | -34.6 | Dark | Down | 23.9 | 133.1 | Low | 03:55:04-04:01:04 | -73.6 | 0.296 | Manson/Chelan | 03:57:48 | -36.8 | Dark | Down | 25.9 | 135.9 | Low | 03:55:04-04:01:04 | -84.7 | 0.198 | Wenatchee | 03:57:50 | -36.7 | Dark | Down | 26.1 | 135.6 | Low | 03:55:04-04:01:04 | -120.8 | 0.031 | Royal City | 03:57:49 | -37.2 | Dark | Down | 26.8 | 136.1 | Low | 03:55:10-04:01:10 | -149.5 | 0.004 | Yakima | 03:57:54 | -36.6 | Dark | Down | 26.6 | 135.1 | Low | 03:55:10-04:01:10 | -183.2 | 0.000 | Toppenish/White Swan | 03:57:54 | -36.7 | Dark | Down | 26.8 | 135.2 | Up | 03:55:06-04:01:06 | -197.4 | 0.000 | PNWRO | 03:57:49 | -37.8 | Dark | Down | 27.8 | 136.5 | Up | 03:55:13-04:01:13 | -208.3 | 0.000 | The Dalles | 03:57:59 | -36.2 | Dark | Down | 27.0 | 134.2 | Up | 03:55:13-04:01:13 | -263.9 | 0.000 |
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2025/12/23 03:54UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Rigel 05:14:32.3 -08:12:06 0.1 8.51 122 67Bet Eri 05:07:50.8 -05:05:13 2.8 6.78 122 PPM 187086 04:34:14.2 -06:50:17 6.4 1.77 114 PPM 187205 04:41:05.0 -06:44:51 7.4 0.43 116 PPM 187218 04:41:51.1 -06:15:36 9.4 0.20 116 3451_Mentor 04:41:03.8 -06:18:58 13.7 116 Positions are for J2000