Occultation event with (6997) Laomedon, event index number 4024
Regions able to see the event: Australia
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/08/16 18:14:56 UTC
J2000 position of star is 04:50:47.6 +08:42:46
Equinox of date position of star is 04:52:14.7 +08:45:23
Star is 121 degrees from the moon. Moon is 19% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=16.3, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=16.7
Use an exposure time of 0.70 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 3.0 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 60% with SNR of 1.8 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 22.4 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 18.8 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 106.0 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 15.7 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 0.5 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 32.8 km.
The sky-plane scale is 4298.5 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
45.5 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 2.0 sec for a central chord
18.6 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 0.8 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 37.5 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 6997_Laomedon, (2026/08/16 18:15UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:37:27.1 +16:33:38 0.8 8.60 125 Bellatrix 05:26:33.6 +06:22:18 1.6 8.83 112 2Pi 2Ori 04:52:03.9 +08:56:37 4.4 0.19 121 PPM 148027 04:51:30.5 +08:27:07 6.6 0.35 121 2Pi 2Ori 04:52:03.9 +08:56:37 4.4 0.19 121 PPM 148048 04:52:10.8 +08:50:43 10.3 0.09 121 6997_Laomedon 04:52:14.7 +08:45:23 16.7 120 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 6997_Laomedon, (2026/08/16 18:15UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Aldebaran 04:35:55.4 +16:30:29 0.8 8.60 125 Bellatrix 05:25:07.8 +06:20:58 1.6 8.83 112 2Pi 2Ori 04:50:36.7 +08:54:00 4.4 0.19 121 PPM 148027 04:50:03.6 +08:24:28 6.6 0.35 121 2Pi 2Ori 04:50:36.7 +08:54:00 4.4 0.19 121 PPM 148048 04:50:43.7 +08:48:06 10.3 0.09 121 6997_Laomedon 04:50:47.6 +08:42:46 16.7 121 Positions are for J2000