Occultation event with (5120) Bitias, event index number 3879
Regions able to see the event: SAmericaN
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/07/23 08:01:31 UTC
J2000 position of star is 04:22:18.3 +40:28:50
Equinox of date position of star is 04:24:07.6 +40:32:29
Star is 157 degrees from the moon. Moon is 68% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=15.5, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=16.2
Use an exposure time of 0.35 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 3.4 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 66% with SNR of 2.2 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 31.0 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 26.3 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 73.6 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 10.9 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 0.2 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 36.2 km.
The sky-plane scale is 4239.0 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
50.8 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 1.6 sec for a central chord
20.8 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 0.7 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 48.0 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 5120_Bitias, (2026/07/23 08:02UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:37:26.9 +16:33:38 0.8 24.15 159 3Iot Aur 04:58:43.6 +33:12:20 2.7 10.07 155 52 Per 04:16:42.2 +40:32:54 4.7 1.41 158 PPM 069360 04:23:49.0 +39:59:38 7.3 0.55 157 PPM 046989 04:21:53.1 +40:33:41 9.8 0.43 157 PPM 047033 04:25:19.6 +40:52:17 11.1 0.40 157 5120_Bitias 04:24:07.6 +40:32:29 16.2 157 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 5120_Bitias, (2026/07/23 08:02UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:35:55.4 +16:30:29 0.8 24.15 159 3Iot Aur 04:56:59.6 +33:09:57 2.7 10.07 155 52 Per 04:14:53.3 +40:29:01 4.7 1.41 158 PPM 069360 04:22:00.2 +39:55:59 7.3 0.55 157 PPM 046989 04:20:03.9 +40:29:58 9.8 0.43 157 PPM 047033 04:23:29.9 +40:48:41 11.1 0.40 157 5120_Bitias 04:22:18.3 +40:28:50 16.2 157 Positions are for J2000