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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1277      1998 Mar 09 20.50UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK             GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK
WORLD WIDE WEB                    http://www.demon.co.uk/astronomer
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OCCULTATION OF PPM 70703 BY 94 AURORA
Richard Miles reports:

On Wednesday evening, 1998 March 11/12 this very large 212 km
diameter object is predicted to occult the star,

TYC 2408 0609 = PPM 70703 (V=9.28) located at:
RA(2000): 5h 40m 46s  Dec(2000) +31deg 52'53"
at 23:16-23:22 UT, mid-time (from the UK) = 23:18:30 UT

Event Rating: Extremely Favourable

Due to the large size of the asteroid, the maximum duration of the
event is expected to be quite long, approaching 15 seconds.
The star may dip in brightness by about 3.7 magnitudes (roughly a
factor of 25).
The asteroid should be visible in medium-sized telescopes.

Note that seen from the UK, the event takes place at a favourable
altitude above the horizon in the range, 32-40 deg. The azimuth of
the event as seen from central England is about 278 deg. The Moon
will interfere slightly with observation being nearly full (98%
illuminated) although it will be located far from the star, about
78 degrees distant.  Fortunately, a 6th magnitude
slightly-variable, red star is located just 2.5 arc minutes north
of the 9th magnitude star - so it should be very easy to find
offsetting from this much brighter star - see Finder Chart link
below.

Visual observers and those equipped with CCDs or photoelectric
photometers may wish to monitor this very close appulse /
occultation.  The width of the shadow track if coincident with
the UK will extend about 250 km. The expected decrease in
brightness of a factor of 25 will be so easy to detect
visually.

Note that charts are available at:

http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~baa/94chart.gif=94 AURORA FINDER CHART
http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~baa/94track.gif=94 AURORA PREDICTED TRACK
(from Guide 6.0)

Guy M Hurst