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Many thanks to everyone who attempted an observation. Most were clouded out unfortunately, except that I was fortunate to record the occultation during a convenient gap in the fast-moving clouds. Simon Kidd (Cottered) observed a miss event. Jesus Delgado (Spain) recorded an occultation of 58s duration. I used the Occult program to obtain this profile of Medea.
 Medea 20220121.png)
The ellipse is fitted to only two well-separated chords, so regard it as a simplified representation of Medea’s true shape. Simon’s line delimits the eastern edge of the shadow track and suggests he was close to obtaining a brief ‘blink’ occultation. The asteroid’s shadow path was ~55 km to the east of the predicted track.
If only we’d had better weather to obtain more chords across Medea.
Thanks Michael.
Medea’s event is at an altitude of ~60 degrees from our latitudes, so even if there’s thin cloud a slightly longer exposure / integration setting can be used without compromising the value of timing of a chord across this slow mover.
You’re getting some wide tracks across Ireland, such as Brita later this evening, although it’s to the north of you
https://cloud.occultwatcher.net/event/385-1071-123422-649676-U042816
Cheers,
Alex.
Hi Paul, My interest was to see the range of sky conditions affecting the members, so a simple ‘Bortle 4’ tag suffices for me. Not everyone will have (access to) a SQM, so they can assess their site by using online references to the Bortle Scale and either use the partly subjective descriptions, e.g. “Bortle 4- NELM 6.1-6.5 and M33 is a difficult averted vision object, only visible when high in the sky” criteria or via their SQM reading, as you say. Clear – and dark – skies, Alex.
Hi Denis,
The track is generally well established, although the observed track is often displaced some km from the predicted track. There’s small uncertainties in the asteroid’s orbit and the star’s position is well defined. More event details and an interactive ground track map are available in Occult Watcher Cloud
https://cloud.occultwatcher.net/event/385-212-63655-649640-U011811
Click on the world map, drag and zoom in to Tarbat Ness. Click at your location on the map and you’ll see your event mid-time is 20:13:20 UT, although your site is quite distant from the predicted shadow track (blue lines) and 1-sigma band (red lines).
It’s worthwhile observing because Tim mentioned the importance of probing the space around Medea. Some asteroids have satellite moons and have been discovered by occultation observations. I suggest recording for 5 minutes centred on the mid-time.
Clear skies,
Alex.
JWST first light…
This tongue-in-cheek image has been doing the rounds
Originally a bit of fun by ESA staff for an earlier mission
https://twitter.com/esa/status/1479405861130977280/photo/1
Alex.
Hi Phil,
This posting on the MPML forum (Archive visible to all) confirm its changes in brightness
JWST 095 Observations (groups.io)
After observing other targets last night I had a look at JWST to get some video astrometry. By then thin cloud was coming and going. I haven’t reduce my data but at Jan 7.903472 it was near to mag 15, but a while later at 7.905556 it looked to be around mag 14.5.
Cheers,
Alex.
From a selfish point of view I welcome the delay in launching JWST, at least until there’s a chance of any clearing in this interminable cloud cover to observe it. The JWST will get to L2 before I see any stars again…!
Alex.
Thanks Nick,
It’s certainly a balancing act! That would be useful advice for the Equipment and Techniques News, if not submitted already.
Clear skies,
Alex.
Hi Michael,
My C11 is mounted on my Losmandy G11. A local amateur has offered me his side-by-side bar similar to this model
ADM D Series Side By Side Bar With Dual Load Saddles – Rother Valley Optics Ltd
to add my 4-inch apo refractor. I haven’t taken the plunge.
The separation between the OTAs provided by this specific bar is probably too small for your ‘scopes.
Cheers,
Alex.
Hi all,
Eric Frappa has now added the observed chords to the Euraster website and fitted them to a DAMIT shape model
euraster.net – 2021 European Asteroidal Occultation Results
Clear skies,
Alex.
Thanks Tim,
I missed that, in between all the Pallas reports. The paper contains the barest mention of occultations. I suggest posting your message to IOTAoccultations and UKoccultations, to bring it to a wider audience. Also the taster video:
Meet 42 Asteroids in Our Solar System (ESOcast 243 Light) | ESO United Kingdom
Cheers,
Alex.
About 1/3rd of Leeds’ citizens are wearing facemasks on public transport and in shops. I recently had a mini-break in Liverpool, travelled by coach and I was the only passenger wearing a mask. I made my choice; other passengers made theirs. I don’t mind wearing a mask at the AGM.
I hope the IoP won’t be directing spotlights at the audience and view screens as done previously. We’ve been spoilt by meetings on Zoom and YouTube, seeing the speakers’ excellent slides in all their glory, instead of squinting through the Bortle 9+ glare of the brightly lit lecture theatre trying to glimpse the washed out screens. Heaven help a speaker who shows a deep sky image. Please switch off the spotlights and dim the theatre lighting during presentations.
Cheers,
Alex.
Hi Nick,
So if Betelgeuse ever goes bang we’ll have to look out for alpha Orionid meteorites… 🙂
Alex.
Good suggestion. Along that line, have a look at:
https://britastro.org/sites/default/files/10-KONRAD_a%20portable%202016.pdf
and results from its use: (11 MB PDF)
https://www.iota-es.de/JOA/joa2017_2.pdf
Cheers,
Alex.
Hi Tim,
I have one of these heater bands around the collar of the corrector plate of my C11
RVO Heater Bands With Integrated Controller – Rother Valley Optics Ltd
and a dew shield (made from a black foam exercise mat) over the heater band and ‘scope tube.
Apart from a few nights during our glorious summer, the heater band is switched on before an observing session and kept running until close of play. No more misty optics…
Cheers,
Alex.
