[BAA-ebulletin 00890] Occultation Alert: (41) Daphne, 22:42?22:47 UT on Sunday, January 17

[BAA electronic bulletins service]

The large (210km) asteroid (41) Daphne will occult a 9th magnitude star in 
the constellation of Taurus on the evening of Sunday, January 17 as seen 
from the UK and western Europe. The event is extremely favourable in that 
the asteroid will block out the light from the star for an unusually long 
time - up to a maximum of ~26 seconds for an observer situated near the 
centre of the shadow track and observers throughout most of the UK are 
guaranteed to see the star disappear provided the sky is clear. Details of 
the event are available at:

https://www.britastro.org/node/7075

which includes a map showing the expected track of the asteroid's shadow 
cast by the star as it crosses France and the UK. The shadow, when projected 
onto the UK, spans more than 300 km in width, and will track across >95% of 
the country in about 90 seconds. Depending on your viewing location, the 
star in question will be situated at an altitude of 30-40 deg towards the 
south-west, whilst a 61% illuminated Moon will be some 25 deg distant.

UK-based observers should watch or video record the 9.7 magnitude star (TYC 
0075-00715-1, RA 04h 26m 25.88s. Dec +01° 40' 43") at 22:42?22:47 UT. If 
possible, try and measure the exact times the star disappears and 
re-appears. N.B. (41) Daphne also has a tiny moon some 2 km or less across 
and so this too may occult the star in a separate event lasting ~0.25 second 
or less shortly before or after the main event. When occulted, only the 
reflected light from the magnitude 13 asteroid will be visible.

The current weather forecast for Sunday evening is quite good with many 
areas of England and Wales expected to have clear skies interspersed with 
some cloud and the risk of some fog in localised areas furthest from the 
coast.

Detailed observing advice and finder charts are available on the webpage 
maintained by the BAA's occultation co-ordinator, Tim Haymes, at:

http://www.stargazer.me.uk/

Please send observing reports, whether positive or negative, including 
timings to Tim (tvh.observatory [at] btinternet [dot] com) or myself.

Clear skies,
Richard Miles
Director, Asteroids and Remote Planets Section
(arps [at] britastro [dot] org)

2016 January 14 11:36