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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 3027      2014 Sep 24 15.29UT
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      Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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STELLAR OCCULTATION BY (93) MINERVA AND ITS SATELLITES
F. Vachier, J. Berthier, and B. Carry, Institut de Mecanique Celeste et de
Calcul des Ephemerides (IMCCE) et. al., report the successful observation of
the stellar occultation of TYC 1822-00535-1 (mag 10.0) by the
triple-minor-planet system (93) Minerva (cf. IAUCs 9069, 9271) on Sept.
6.33784 UTC.  Among twelve reports, nine positive chords of the occultation
by the primary, lasting between 8.08 and 16.80 s, have been reported, which
confirms the value of the equivalent diameter of
154 +/- 6 km determined by Marchis et al. (2013, Icarus 224, 178).  

One observation recorded by Messner permitted the detection of what appears
to be a brief, 0.6-s stellar occultation by one moonlet of the system;
preliminary analysis suggests that this could be due to the inner satellite
II (Gorgoneion), which would imply that the satellite's size is about 6.5 km
across the chord, and thus that it is either larger than the estimated 3.2
+/- 0.9 km (Marchis et al.) or significantly elongated.  The derived
relative apparent position of the moonlet is 0".128(1) west and 0".106(1)
south of the primary at epoch 2014 Sept. 6.33767.  Additional observations
of the (93) Minerva system are strongly encouraged.  Vachier posted
predicted paths at URL
http://www.imcce.fr/~vachier/pub/binaries/occult/2014-11-08_93_Minerva for
an occultation of a 9.5-magnitude star by Minerva I (Aegis) and Minerva II
(Gorgoneion) on 2014 Nov. 8 with predicted paths across China, South Korea,
and Japan.  The updated path of the primary occultation is available at URL
http://www.asteroidoccultation.com/2014_11/1108_93_33230.htm.
(CBET 3985 extract)

The Committee on Small Bodies Nomenclature has approved names for the newly
discovered satellites of minor planet (93) Minerva:
the name "Aegis" has been given to (93) Minerva I = S/2009 (93) 1, and the
name "Gorgoneion" has been given to (93) Minerva II = S/2009 (93) 2; the
name citations were published on MPC 86284.
(IAUC 9271 extract)

Guy M Hurst