Occultation event with (3451) Mentor, event index number 4326
Regions able to see the event: Australia
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/09/29 19:19:10 UTC
J2000 position of star is 07:01:51.4 -01:32:44
Equinox of date position of star is 07:03:12.7 -01:35:09
Star is 65 degrees from the moon. Moon is 88% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=16.4, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=14.4
Use an exposure time of 1.55 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 3.3 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 13% with SNR of 0.4 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 19.9 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 17.8 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 128.2 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 30.9 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 1.1 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 29.9 km.
The sky-plane scale is 4034.3 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
122.5 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 6.1 sec for a central chord
50.0 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 2.5 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 126.3 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2026/09/29 19:19UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Sirius 06:46:19.6 -16:45:15 -1.5 15.73 69 Alhena 06:39:15.4 +16:22:27 1.9 18.91 53 PPM 176522 06:55:46.2 -01:09:45 5.2 1.91 63 PPM 176634 07:04:18.6 -02:04:19 8.5 0.56 66 PPM 176629 07:03:50.8 -01:41:25 9.9 0.19 66 3451_Mentor 07:03:12.7 -01:35:09 14.4 66 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2026/09/29 19:19UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Sirius 06:45:07.9 -16:43:29 -1.5 15.73 69 Alhena 06:37:42.8 +16:23:56 1.9 18.91 53 PPM 176522 06:54:24.6 -01:07:37 5.2 1.91 63 PPM 176634 07:02:57.6 -02:01:52 8.5 0.56 66 PPM 176629 07:02:29.6 -01:38:59 9.9 0.19 66 3451_Mentor 07:01:51.4 -01:32:44 14.4 65 Positions are for J2000