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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1449      1999 Sep 30 18.45UT
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 HIP 1755 BY 2959 SCHOLL

Richard Miles e-mails:

A very favourable asteroid occultation is predicted for the early
evening of next Saturday (Oct 2/3) involving a bright (V=7.1) star.
Details are as follows:

2959 SCHOLL on October 02/03

This small-sized asteroid, some 42 km across, is predicted to
occult the bright HIPPARCOS star, HIP 1755 (V=7.12) at a convenient
time during Saturday night as seen from the UK.

Details are as follows:

Location of star:
RA(2000): 00h 22m 14s
Dec(2000) -05deg 11'31"

Observational coverage should span the period 20:57-21:09 UT, with
the expected mid-time (from the UK) = 21:03 UT

Event Rating: Very Favourable due to the star brightness and
accurate stellar position.

The maximum duration of the event is expected to be about four
seconds. The star will dip in brightness by about 8 magnitudes
(i.e. by a factor of about 1500).

Note that seen from the UK, the event takes place at a relatively
low altitude above the horizon in the range, 20-26deg, and an
azimuth of about 135 deg. The Moon will be set and so will not
interfere with the observation.

Observers equipped with binoculars, telescopes of 5 cm aperture or
greater may wish to monitor this very close appulse / occultation.
Since the star is 7th magnitude, it will also be possible to video-
record the event or to monitor the occultation photoelectrically.

The prediction currently favours locations in the north-west of the UK
and Ireland.

A finder chart is available at:

http://sorry.vse.cz/~ludek/mp/1999/1002sch.gif

V844 HERCULIS
Hazel McGee, England reports her detection of an outburst of
V844 Herculis on 1999 Sept. 29.824UT at visual magnitude 12.3
using a 0.30-m T x117.
Taichi Kato, Japan, has confirmed the outburst but no specific
details of the latter are yet available.

Guy M Hurst