Occultation event with (3451) Mentor, event index number 5020
Regions able to see the event: Europe
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/12/04 02:38:11 UTC
J2000 position of star is 07:01:51.4 -05:44:17
Equinox of date position of star is 07:03:10.7 -05:46:42
Star is 87 degrees from the moon. Moon is 22% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=13.2, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=13.9
Use an exposure time of 0.14 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 9.8 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 65% with SNR of 6.4 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 14.2 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 14.8 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 69.2 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 2.0 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 1.0 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 34.9 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3450.8 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
122.5 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 8.7 sec for a central chord
50.0 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 3.5 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 126.3 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2026/12/04 02:38UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Sirius 06:46:20.1 -16:45:16 -1.5 11.72 89 2Bet CMa 06:23:53.1 -17:58:16 2.0 15.51 94 PPM 189831 07:03:15.7 -05:45:45 4.5 0.03 87 PPM 189838 07:03:26.7 -06:03:47 7.0 0.29 87 PPM 189831 07:03:15.7 -05:45:45 4.5 0.03 87 3451_Mentor 07:03:10.7 -05:46:42 13.9 87 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 3451_Mentor, (2026/12/04 02:38UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Sirius 06:45:07.9 -16:43:29 -1.5 11.72 89 2Bet CMa 06:22:42.0 -17:57:21 2.0 15.51 94 PPM 189831 07:01:56.3 -05:43:19 4.5 0.03 87 PPM 189838 07:02:07.6 -06:01:21 7.0 0.29 87 PPM 189831 07:01:56.3 -05:43:19 4.5 0.03 87 3451_Mentor 07:01:51.4 -05:44:17 13.9 87 Positions are for J2000