Journal for Occultation Astronomy 2025-02 is now available for free.
https://iota-es.de/JOA/joa2025_2.pdf
This issue:
Neglected double stars, lunar occultation observations - past, present and future, Beyond Jupiter, discoveries of asteroid satellites, invitation to ESOP 2025 and more.
Back issues: https://iota-es.de/joafree.html
#astronomy #occultation #asteroid #Moon #citizenscience #stellaroccultation #space
Journal for Occultation Astronomy 2025-01 is now available for free.
https://iota-es.de/JOA/joa2025_1.pdf
This issue:
Call for observation of (468861) 2013 LU28, the hunt for Didymos, GRAZPREP-software, grazing occultations by the Moon in 2025, (65489) Ceto and Phorcys, IOTA's meeting in 2024 and more.
Back issues: https://iota-es.de/joafree.html
#astronomy #occultation #asteroid #Moon #citizenscience #stellaroccultation
Very successful observation of a stellar occultation by asteroid (1574) Meyer on 2024 Aug 10.
12 stations reported positive observations.
The SODIS Team has released a preliminary shadow profile. ๐
https://cloud.occultwatcher.net/event/1317-1574-276163-647651-U117391
https://sodis.iota-es.de/
#astronomy #occultation #asteroid
#citizenscience #stellaroccultation
Bad weather spoiled the observation campaign for the stellar occultation by TNO (5223722) 2014 LV28 on 2024 Jul 22. โ๏ธ๐โ๏ธ
From 31 announced stations six reported negative observations. The three negatives from ES were inside the northern predicted path limit.
Many thanks to all stations! ๐
#astronomy #occultation #citizenscience #asteroid #stellaroccultation
IOTA/ES - Call for Observations:
Trans-Neptunian object (523722) 2014 LV28 will occult UCAC4 380-164593 (14 Vmag) on 2024 Jul 22, ~00:28 UT.
Extended path uncertainties: All stations in Europe & N. Africa should try to observe!
28 stations have already joined the observation campaign. We need more stations in the predicted path and in the southern error limit. ๐๐ญ
https://call4obs.iota-es.de/2024-jul-22-0027-ut-523722-2014-lv28-occults-ucac4-380-164593-14-0-mag
#astronomy #occultation #citizenscience #asteroid #stellaroccultation
Journal for Occultation Astronomy 2024-03 is now available for free.
https://www.iota-es.de/JOA/joa2024_3.pdf
This issue:
Call for Observations - Jupiter Trojan (17365) Thymbraeus, GPS flash timing, TNO (471143) Dzwianna, workshops, upcoming meetings & more
Back issues: https://iota-es.de/joafree.html
#astronomy #stellaroccultation #occultation #asteroid #citizenscience
IOTA/ES - Call for Observations
Occultations by main-belt asteroids, slow-rotators, NEAs, TNOs, Trojans...
Predictions updated until end of July 2024.
Highlights: Occultations by (3327) Campins on Jul 16 with expected fading of the star & Jupiter Trojan (65590) Archeptolemos on Jul 27.
#astronomy #stellaroccultation #occultation #citizenscience #asteroid
IOTA/ES - Call for Observations was updated today with five observation requests to European stellar occultation observers by the project GAIAMOONS.
GAIAMOONS prediction webpage:
https://gaiamoons.imcce.fr
#astronomy #occultation #asteroid #Citizenscience #stellaroccultation
Asteroid (589) Croatia occulted star UCAC4 412-109103 on 2024 Jun 05.
7 stations in CZ and SK have recorded this stellar occultation with durations from 8.4 up to 12 s.
Best observation of an occultation by this asteroid so far.
We are waiting for a first profile...
Congratulations to all observers!
https://cloud.occultwatcher.net/event/1251-589-270991-647519-U109103
#astronomy #occultation #stellaroccultation #asteroid #citizenscience
New paper by J. L. Rizos et al. about Centaur (54598) Bienor with results from stellar occultations in 2022/23.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.17235
#astronomy #occultation #stellaroccultation #asteroid #citizenscience
Centaurs, distinguished by their volatile-rich compositions, play a pivotal role in understanding the formation and evolution of the early solar system, as they represent remnants of the primordial material that populated the outer regions. Stellar occultations offer a means to investigate their physical properties, including shape, rotational state, or the potential presence of satellites and rings. This work aims to conduct a detailed study of the centaur (54598) Bienor through stellar occultations and rotational light curves from photometric data collected during recent years. We successfully predicted three stellar occultations by Bienor, which were observed from Japan, Eastern Europe, and the USA. In addition, we organized observational campaigns from Spain to obtain rotational light curves. At the same time, we develop software to generate synthetic light curves from three-dimensional shape models, enabling us to validate the outcomes through computer simulations. We resolve Bienor's projected ellipse for December 26, 2022, determine a prograde sense of rotation, and confirm an asymmetric rotational light curve. We also retrieve the axes of its triaxial ellipsoid shape as a = (127 $\pm$ 5) km, b = (55 $\pm$ 4) km, and c = (45 $\pm$ 4) km. Moreover, we refine the rotation period to 9.1736 $\pm$ 0.0002 hours and determine a geometric albedo of (6.5 $\pm$ 0.5) %, higher than previously determined by other methods. Finally, by comparing our findings with previous results and simulated rotational light curves, we analyze whether an irregular or contact-binary shape, the presence of an additional element such as a satellite, or significant albedo variations on Bienor's surface, may be present.
IOTA European Section