Occultation event with (3596) Meriones, event index number 3667
Regions able to see the event: SMexico
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/04/21 09:50:42 UTC
J2000 position of star is 12:29:18.5 -13:47:29
Equinox of date position of star is 12:30:40.6 -13:56:12
Star is 107 degrees from the moon. Moon is 21% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=16.7, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=14.4
Use an exposure time of 2.00 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 3.0 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 10% with SNR of 0.3 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 17.0 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 18.8 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 102.6 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 34.1 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 1.8 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 17.8 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3254.6 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
84.3 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 5.0 sec for a central chord
34.4 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 2.0 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 87.4 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 3596_Meriones, (2026/04/21 09:51UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Spica 13:26:35.0 -11:17:52 1.0 13.89 118 4Gam Crv 12:17:09.8 -17:41:16 2.6 4.96 106 PPM 225991 12:33:57.9 -14:00:16 6.2 0.80 108 PPM 225928 12:31:26.4 -13:32:19 6.8 0.44 107 PPM 225889 12:29:39.8 -13:56:48 9.5 0.25 107 3596_Meriones 12:30:40.6 -13:56:12 14.4 107 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 3596_Meriones, (2026/04/21 09:51UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Spica 13:25:11.5 -11:09:41 1.0 13.89 118 4Gam Crv 12:15:48.1 -17:32:30 2.6 4.96 106 PPM 225991 12:32:35.7 -13:51:34 6.2 0.80 108 PPM 225928 12:30:04.4 -13:23:36 6.8 0.44 107 PPM 225889 12:28:17.8 -13:48:05 9.5 0.25 107 3596_Meriones 12:29:18.5 -13:47:29 14.4 107 Positions are for J2000