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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2083      2005 Feb 09 16.49UT
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.theastronomer.org
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OCCULTATION OF TYC 1395-01016-1 BY 2000 CF105
David Dunham reports:
There will be an occultation of a magnitude 11.8 star near the
Praesepe Cluster by a 140-km (estimated) Kuiper Belt Object on 2005
Feb. 10/11, possibly visible from S. America, but Africa, eastern N. 
America, Europe, and the Middle East all have a chance, too.
2005             Asteroid        S   t   a   r
Date  U.T.               Diam.,    R.A.(2000)Dec.
Feb. h m   m    #  Name     km mag.  h   m    o  /
11  0:04-:18    2000 CF105 138 11.8 08 38.9 +18 xx
Approximate location: Americas,Afr.,Europe

The asteroidal occultation section of the IOTA Web site at
http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota has Edwin Goffin's
finder chart for this event.

The target star, TYC 1395-01016-1, is just south of the Preasepe 
cluster, at RA 8h 38m 54.2s, DEC +18 58' 05" (2000).
The "asteroid" is a Kuiper-belt object (KBO) so the uncertainty zone 
includes the whole Earth facing the object.  The predicted path narrowly 
misses the Earth to the south, so S. America has the best chance, 
followed by Africa (almost as good), N. America, and Europe.  It is 
unusual to have a chance to observe an occultation by a KBO of a star 
this bright and although the chances of success are low, especially for 
one observer, if enough of us try, we might get the first ever observed 
KBO occultation.  If an occultation occurs, a drop of eleven magnitudes 
lasting up to 6 seconds is expected.

Guy M Hurst