Occultation event with (5120) Bitias, event index number 4441
Regions able to see the event: SAmericaN
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/10/20 10:03:31 UTC
J2000 position of star is 04:55:23.1 +44:18:16
Equinox of date position of star is 04:57:19.2 +44:20:43
Star is 119 degrees from the moon. Moon is 67% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=12.1, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=15.8
Use an exposure time of 0.12 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 20.7 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 97% with SNR of 20.1 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 8.6 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 9.1 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 111.2 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 1.0 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 2.4 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 30.5 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3415.5 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
50.8 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 5.9 sec for a central chord
20.8 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 2.4 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 48.0 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 5120_Bitias, (2026/10/20 10:04UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:37:27.7 +16:33:40 0.8 28.10 113 3Iot Aur 04:58:44.6 +33:12:21 2.7 11.14 120 PPM 047482 04:56:47.0 +44:06:06 6.0 0.26 119 PPM 047475 04:56:29.7 +44:24:01 10.2 0.16 119 5120_Bitias 04:57:19.2 +44:20:43 15.8 120 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 5120_Bitias, (2026/10/20 10:04UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:35:55.4 +16:30:29 0.8 28.10 113 3Iot Aur 04:56:59.6 +33:09:57 2.7 11.14 120 PPM 047482 04:54:51.2 +44:03:38 6.0 0.26 119 PPM 047475 04:54:33.6 +44:21:32 10.2 0.16 119 5120_Bitias 04:55:23.1 +44:18:16 15.8 119 Positions are for J2000