Occultation event with (3451) Mentor, event index number 4986
Regions able to see the event: Europe,SAmericaN
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/12/02 04:30:54 UTC
J2000 position of star is 07:02:33.0 -05:40:05
Equinox of date position of star is 07:03:52.4 -05:42:32
Star is 66 degrees from the moon. Moon is 40% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=16.3, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=13.9
Use an exposure time of 2.00 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 3.8 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 10% with SNR of 0.4 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 13.8 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 14.3 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 66.6 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 27.5 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 34.8 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3462.1 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
122.5 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 8.9 sec for a central chord
50.0 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 3.6 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 126.3 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2026/12/02 04:31UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Sirius 06:46:20.1 -16:45:16 -1.5 11.85 71 2Bet CMa 06:23:53.1 -17:58:16 2.0 15.67 77 PPM 189831 07:03:15.6 -05:45:45 4.5 0.16 66 PPM 189838 07:03:26.7 -06:03:47 7.0 0.37 66 PPM 189831 07:03:15.6 -05:45:45 4.5 0.16 66 3451_Mentor 07:03:52.4 -05:42:32 13.9 66 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2026/12/02 04:31UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Sirius 06:45:07.9 -16:43:29 -1.5 11.85 71 2Bet CMa 06:22:42.0 -17:57:21 2.0 15.67 77 PPM 189831 07:01:56.3 -05:43:19 4.5 0.16 66 PPM 189838 07:02:07.6 -06:01:21 7.0 0.37 66 PPM 189831 07:01:56.3 -05:43:19 4.5 0.16 66 3451_Mentor 07:02:33.0 -05:40:05 13.9 66 Positions are for J2000