Occultation event with (3451) Mentor, event index number 4442
Regions able to see the event: Japan
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/10/20 16:02:51 UTC
J2000 position of star is 07:07:18.0 -03:05:52
Equinox of date position of star is 07:08:38.6 -03:08:29
Star is 140 degrees from the moon. Moon is 69% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=15.2, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=14.2
Use an exposure time of 1.55 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 9.9 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 30% with SNR of 3.0 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 13.1 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 12.3 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 154.2 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 20.2 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 16.8 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3823.2 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
122.5 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 9.4 sec for a central chord
50.0 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 3.8 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 126.3 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2026/10/20 16:03UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Sirius 06:46:19.8 -16:45:15 -1.5 14.67 128 2Bet CMa 06:23:52.8 -17:58:16 2.0 18.44 123 20 Mon 07:11:33.6 -04:16:52 4.9 1.35 140 PPM 189934 07:08:36.7 -03:00:32 8.0 0.13 140 PPM 189933 07:08:33.9 -03:16:00 9.1 0.13 140 3451_Mentor 07:08:38.6 -03:08:29 14.2 141 Positions are for equinox of date
This table contains the target star visibility for registered Japan 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 98.9 % 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akita | 15:55:39 | -54.4 | Dark | Down | 21.4 | 113.6 | Low | 15:52:45-15:58:45 | 189.7 | 0.000 | Niigata | 15:55:45 | -56.3 | Dark | Down | 21.4 | 112.2 | Low | 15:52:55-15:58:55 | -15.4 | 0.989 | Tokyo | 15:55:55 | -57.6 | Dark | Down | 22.7 | 111.8 | Really Low | 15:52:55-15:58:55 | -189.4 | 0.000 |
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2026/10/20 16:03UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Sirius 06:45:07.9 -16:43:29 -1.5 14.67 128 2Bet CMa 06:22:42.0 -17:57:21 2.0 18.44 123 20 Mon 07:10:13.7 -04:14:08 4.9 1.35 140 PPM 189934 07:07:16.1 -02:57:56 8.0 0.13 140 PPM 189933 07:07:13.5 -03:13:23 9.1 0.13 140 3451_Mentor 07:07:18.0 -03:05:52 14.2 140 Positions are for J2000