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Easy asteroid occultation Oct-25 at 0240UT

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  • 23 October 2026 at 11:26 am #643558
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    On the night Oct 24/25 (Sunday morning) there is a rare opportunity (weather permitting !) to see a 10th magnitude star occulted by the asteroid (635)Vundtia.
    The star TYC 0720-00339-1 is in northern Orion. Only a smallish telescope could be used, or big binoculars to see the star vanish for up to 17 seconds.

    To make a visual observation, watch carefully from 0239 to 0241 UT and time the duration of the disappearance. The prediction is on page 54/55 of the Handbook. With enough observations and knowing the location of an observer, an approximate outline to the asteroid could be constructed.

    Video observation with NTP timing would be best, but i see this as possible visual observation “experience”.

    Full prediction details here: https://cloud.occultwatcher.net/event/2123-635-318591-360562-T00339-1

    Best of luck – Tim
    (Asteroids and Remote Planets Section)

    Attachments:

    1. Vundtia.png

    23 October 2026 at 10:29 pm #643565
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    There will be a full Moon in the W/SW, and given other forms of background lighting or atmospherics the minimum aperture i would say, was be 80mm or 100mm for visual. Video would be far more sensitive. I hope someone will be able to attempt a visual observation of some kind.

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