Occultation event with (9431) Pytho, event index number 3214
Regions able to see the event: Europe
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/02/06 01:45:29 UTC
J2000 position of star is 11:52:21.3 -11:28:37
Equinox of date position of star is 11:53:41.3 -11:37:20
Star is 10 degrees from the moon. Moon is 81% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=15.1, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=16.1
Use an exposure time of 1.00 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 9.8 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 71% with SNR of 6.9 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 9.4 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 9.9 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 114.1 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 9.4 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 32.6 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3443.5 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
44.9 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 4.8 sec for a central chord
18.3 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 1.9 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 38.4 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 9431_Pytho, (2026/02/06 01:45UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Spica 13:26:34.3 -11:17:48 1.0 22.75 15 4Gam Crv 12:17:09.1 -17:41:12 2.6 8.30 12 PPM 225013 11:52:41.5 -12:19:58 6.3 0.75 11 PPM 225007 11:52:26.5 -11:21:11 7.6 0.41 10 PPM 225029 11:53:30.0 -11:27:18 9.0 0.17 10 9431_Pytho 11:53:41.3 -11:37:20 16.1 10 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 9431_Pytho, (2026/02/06 01:45UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Spica 13:25:11.5 -11:09:41 1.0 22.75 15 4Gam Crv 12:15:48.1 -17:32:30 2.6 8.30 12 PPM 225013 11:51:21.5 -12:11:15 6.3 0.75 11 PPM 225007 11:51:06.4 -11:12:28 7.6 0.41 10 PPM 225029 11:52:10.0 -11:18:35 9.0 0.17 10 9431_Pytho 11:52:21.3 -11:28:37 16.1 10 Positions are for J2000