Occultation event with (9431) Pytho, event index number 3340
Regions able to see the event: Australia
Geocentric closest approach at 2026/03/03 13:40:27 UTC
J2000 position of star is 11:43:22.2 -10:16:17
Equinox of date position of star is 11:44:42.3 -10:25:00
Star is 19 degrees from the moon. Moon is 100% illuminated.
Stellar brightness G=16.2, apparent brightess of occulting body is G=15.8
Use an exposure time of 0.70 seconds with the standard RECON-QHY system.
SNR of 3.1 per integration for unocculted signal
Expected flux drop is 40% with SNR of 1.3 for the occulted depth (per occulted point)
Apparent velocity is 17.2 km/sec on the sky relative to the star, or, 18.8 arcsec/hr.
Position angle of asteroid motion is 121.8 degrees
The recommended exposure time corresponds to 12.0 km per image.
The 1-sigma error in the time of the event is 1.3 seconds.
The 1-sigma cross-track error in the shadow position is 29.9 km.
The sky-plane scale is 3291.8 km/arcsec.
Diameter estimates:
44.9 km assuming a 5% albedo, maximum of 2.6 sec for a central chord
18.3 km assuming a 30% albedo, maximum of 1.1 sec for a central chord
Cross-track diameter of 38.4 km used for deployment plan.
Star training set for 9431_Pytho, (2026/03/03 13:40UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Spica 13:26:34.5 -11:17:50 1.0 25.02 40 4Gam Crv 12:17:09.4 -17:41:14 2.6 10.71 30 21The Crt 11:38:00.7 -09:56:50 4.7 1.71 18 PPM 224833 11:45:18.1 -10:46:23 8.4 0.39 20 PPM 224789 11:43:49.2 -10:35:14 9.5 0.28 19 9431_Pytho 11:44:42.3 -10:25:00 15.8 20 Positions are for equinox of date
Star training set for 9431_Pytho, (2026/03/03 13:40UT) Object RA Dec mag sep mel Spica 13:25:11.5 -11:09:41 1.0 25.02 40 4Gam Crv 12:15:48.1 -17:32:30 2.6 10.71 30 21The Crt 11:36:40.8 -09:48:08 4.7 1.71 18 PPM 224833 11:43:58.1 -10:37:39 8.4 0.39 20 PPM 224789 11:42:29.2 -10:26:31 9.5 0.28 19 9431_Pytho 11:43:22.2 -10:16:17 15.8 19 Positions are for J2000