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TITAN Occults Two Bright Stars on November 14th 2003
General Information (Bruno Sicardy,
Paris)
Occultation of a bright star by Saturn's rings
Test stars for this occultation
Criteria to select filters for the occultation
Call for observation issued on the 28th of July 2003:
Claudio Martinez from Argentine discovered two important stellar
occultations by Titan in November this year 2003.
These occultations will take place on the same day, the 14th of
November 2003. Titan will occult relatviely bright stars: V = 8m6 and
V = 10m7. Titan itself has V = 8m4. Because both stars are red, the
contrast will be even larger in the red and infrared, where Titan is
relatively faint.
This is the last chance to do measurements of Titan's atmosphere
before the Huygens spaceprobe will touch down!
For both events, the area of the so called "Central Flash" will be
visible from certain places on earth. This happened for central parts
of Europe in 1989, where more than hundered observed could get a
glimpse on that spectacular event. Using measurements of the Central
Flash, very tight constraints on the zonal wind system of Titan can be
evaluated. Even more, data about the light absorption in Titan's
atmosphere and about the flattening of the atmosphere can be
evaluated.
But not only for observers in the small area of the central flash, it
is a very spectacular event of high scientific interest. Many of the
data, we know today of the thick atmosphere of Titan, have been
gathered from stellar occultations. The area of visibility includes
even Venezuela, many parts of the USA, large parts of Africa, many
islands in the Atlantic ocean and so on. Look at the maps on the
Websites.
Therefore, together with many other institutions in the world,
We call for observation of this event!
The first one will happen on the 14th of November around 0h 11min UT,
the second on the same day at 6h 57min UT.
First: 14th Nov 2003, 0h 11min UT
star: TYC 1343-1615-1
mag: B=9.9 V=8.6
Area: Southern Africa, Indian Ocean
ICRS/J2000: RA=06:55:20.9672, Del=+22:06:07.812
(including proper motion, but not annual parallax)
Error: 10 mas
Central Flash: South Namibia, North SouthAfrica, Central Madagaskar
Second: 14th Nov 2003, 6h 57min UT
star: TYC 1343-1865-1
mag: B=11.9 V=10.7
Area: Western Europe, North and Central Americas
ICRS/J2000: RA=06:55:17.7733 Del=+22:06:01.168
(including proper motion, but not annual parallax)
Error: 50 mas
Central Flash: Southernmost Spain, Marocco, Florida, Texas, Mexico
However, keep in mind for the last event, the sun is only 2 deg below
the horizon for Lisbon! Therefore, observations from this ara are only
possible in the infrared.
For coordination of this event for amateur and professional observers,
please mail to Beisker@gsf.de or Sicardy@obspm.fr .
If you have questions, whatsoever, please mail in...
Take part of expeditions to Namibia to hunt the central flash!
Informations on this mail are collected from Claudio Martinez, Bruno
Sicardy, Jan Manek, and others.
Come to the European Symposion on Occultation Projects in Trebur (near
Frankfurt) on the last weekend in August, where Bruno Sicardy, Mike
Kretlow and myself will discuss latest information of the events. We
will discuss observation possibilities even for amateurs with small
equipment.
Watch the websites about this event on
www.iota-es.de (Hot News) and http://despa.obspm.fr/~sicardy/titan/titan.html
With best regards from Munich
Wolfgang
Dr. Wolfgang Beisker
International Occultation Timing Association / European Section
Research and Development
Occultation of a bright star by Saturn's rings
Test stars for this occultation
Criteria to select filters for the occultation
Call for observation issued on the 28th of July 2003:
Claudio Martinez from Argentine discovered two important stellar
occultations by Titan in November this year 2003.
These occultations will take place on the same day, the 14th of
November 2003. Titan will occult relatviely bright stars: V = 8m6 and
V = 10m7. Titan itself has V = 8m4. Because both stars are red, the
contrast will be even larger in the red and infrared, where Titan is
relatively faint.
This is the last chance to do measurements of Titan's atmosphere
before the Huygens spaceprobe will touch down!
For both events, the area of the so called "Central Flash" will be
visible from certain places on earth. This happened for central parts
of Europe in 1989, where more than hundered observed could get a
glimpse on that spectacular event. Using measurements of the Central
Flash, very tight constraints on the zonal wind system of Titan can be
evaluated. Even more, data about the light absorption in Titan's
atmosphere and about the flattening of the atmosphere can be
evaluated.
But not only for observers in the small area of the central flash, it
is a very spectacular event of high scientific interest. Many of the
data, we know today of the thick atmosphere of Titan, have been
gathered from stellar occultations. The area of visibility includes
even Venezuela, many parts of the USA, large parts of Africa, many
islands in the Atlantic ocean and so on. Look at the maps on the
Websites.
Therefore, together with many other institutions in the world,
We call for observation of this event!
The first one will happen on the 14th of November around 0h 11min UT,
the second on the same day at 6h 57min UT.
First: 14th Nov 2003, 0h 11min UT
star: TYC 1343-1615-1
mag: B=9.9 V=8.6
Area: Southern Africa, Indian Ocean
ICRS/J2000: RA=06:55:20.9672, Del=+22:06:07.812
(including proper motion, but not annual parallax)
Error: 10 mas
Central Flash: South Namibia, North SouthAfrica, Central Madagaskar
Second: 14th Nov 2003, 6h 57min UT
star: TYC 1343-1865-1
mag: B=11.9 V=10.7
Area: Western Europe, North and Central Americas
ICRS/J2000: RA=06:55:17.7733 Del=+22:06:01.168
(including proper motion, but not annual parallax)
Error: 50 mas
Central Flash: Southernmost Spain, Marocco, Florida, Texas, Mexico
However, keep in mind for the last event, the sun is only 2 deg below
the horizon for Lisbon! Therefore, observations from this ara are only
possible in the infrared.
For coordination of this event for amateur and professional observers,
please mail to Beisker@gsf.de or Sicardy@obspm.fr .
If you have questions, whatsoever, please mail in...
Take part of expeditions to Namibia to hunt the central flash!
Informations on this mail are collected from Claudio Martinez, Bruno
Sicardy, Jan Manek, and others.
Come to the European Symposion on Occultation Projects in Trebur (near
Frankfurt) on the last weekend in August, where Bruno Sicardy, Mike
Kretlow and myself will discuss latest information of the events. We
will discuss observation possibilities even for amateurs with small
equipment.
Watch the websites about this event on
www.iota-es.de (Hot News) and http://despa.obspm.fr/~sicardy/titan/titan.html
With best regards from Munich
Wolfgang
Dr. Wolfgang Beisker
International Occultation Timing Association / European Section
Research and Development