Occultation event with (3596) Meriones, event index number 3494
Regions able to see the event: SAmericaS
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/03/24 04:16:45 UTC
J2000 position of star is 12:45:02.2 -14:24:25
Equinox of date position of star is 12:46:24.7 -14:33:00
Star is 124 degrees from the moon. Moon is 32% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=14.9, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=14.3
Use an exposure time of 1.10 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 9.8 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 35% with SNR of 3.4 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 18.4 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 20.5 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 95.1 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 20.3 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 1.4 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 21.6 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3233.5 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
84.3 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 4.6 sec for a central chord
34.4 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 1.9 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 87.4 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 3596_Meriones, (2026/03/24 04:17UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Spica 13:26:34.7 -11:17:51 1.0 10.31 132 4Gam Crv 12:17:09.5 -17:41:15 2.6 7.69 119 PPM 226198 12:42:37.8 -13:09:27 6.0 1.67 123 PPM 226256 12:44:55.3 -14:00:11 7.6 0.66 124 PPM 226314 12:47:35.4 -14:27:03 9.7 0.30 125 3596_Meriones 12:46:24.7 -14:33:00 14.3 125 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 3596_Meriones, (2026/03/24 04:17UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Spica 13:25:11.5 -11:09:41 1.0 10.31 132 4Gam Crv 12:15:48.1 -17:32:30 2.6 7.69 119 PPM 226198 12:41:15.6 -13:00:51 6.0 1.67 123 PPM 226256 12:43:33.0 -13:51:35 7.6 0.66 124 PPM 226314 12:46:12.9 -14:18:28 9.7 0.30 125 3596_Meriones 12:45:02.2 -14:24:25 14.3 124 Positions are for J2000