Moon Occults Eps Gem - North America - March 5/6

[Centaur]

The 71% illuminated waxing gibbous Moon will occult the magnitude 3.0 star Epsilon Geminorum for North Americans during the night of 2009 MAR 05/06. Immersion will occur on the Moon’s dark limb and emersion on the bright limb.

I’ve created a graze map. The northern graze path crosses Canada while the southern path runs through Mexico. Observers on a graze path will be able to watch the star winking on and off as lunar hills and valleys pass by. Those between the paths will see a full occultation. The map can be seen at: http://www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html

Descriptions and photos of the event would be welcome additions to this thread.

[Wulver]

Could you explain this in less technical terms? I'll attempt to get some pics if I can, though I kinda need a greater understanding of what's happening if I'm gonna go gunning for it.

[Centaur]

Could you explain this in less technical terms? I'll attempt to get some pics if I can, though I kinda need a greater understanding of what's happening if I'm gonna go gunning for it.

For observers in the US during the evening of March 5th the Moon is going to cover and then uncover a star in the constellation Gemini.

[Wulver]

ah, alright, thank you.

Dunno if I'll be able to capture it or not, if the weather conditions are good I'll try it.

[Centaur]

ah, alright, thank you.

Dunno if I'll be able to capture it or not, if the weather conditions are good I'll try it.

You’re welcome. Occultations of planets or bright or moderately bright stars occur at nighttime for particular locations less frequently than many people imagine. There’s a lot of black out there. If you’ll reply with your longitude, latitude, altitude and time zone, I’ll give you the times of immersion (disappearance) and emersion (reappearance).

[spaceboy0]

Vancouver: 49.3 N, 123.1 W

immersion time most needed

[Centaur]

Vancouver: 49.3 N, 123.1 W

immersion time most needed

Here it is, spaceboy0. Please report how close your observation times are to my predictions. The Zenith Angle is the position of the star on the lunar limb measured counterclockwise from the zenith.


Epsilon Geminorum on Date of Occultation

RA 06:44:31.5
Dec N 25°07’22”
903 Light Years
+3.0 Magnitude


W 123.1° - N 49.3° - 20 m

Immersion
19:24:11 PST
Zenith Angle 122.8°

Emersion
20:39:12 PST
Zenith Angle 261.7°

[spaceboy0]

how does this star's magnitude compare with Aldebaran?

[Centaur]

how does this star's magnitude compare with Aldebaran?


You're welcome.

[mahesh]

For comparison purposes, magnitude-wise and otherwise... spaceboy0...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_Geminorum
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldebaran

you could read up for more info too....
sorry i am not as cogent, or an expert as Centaur, in my responses.

good wishes for viewing this event...

edit:
just realised that Centaur already gave us the magnitude 3.0+ for Eps Gem.
so Aldebaran is much brighter at mag 0.87! Anyways Aldebaran is one of the top ten or so brightest stars.
..in our neighbourhood (!)

edit** ps:
this from wiki
...NASA's Pioneer 10 spacecraft, which flew by Jupiter in 1973 will reach and pass by Aldebaran in about two million years....:D

nice neighbourhood

[spaceboy0]

Got it. From Vancouver the Star went behind Moon at 32 seconds past 7:24

7:24:32

any other timings to share?

It looked great!!!

[mahesh]

Got it. From Vancouver the Star went behind Moon at 32 seconds past 7:24

7:24:32

any other timings to share?

It looked great!!!

...
W 123.1° - N 49.3° - 20 m

Immersion
19:24:11 PST
Zenith Angle 122.8°..

Marvellous! Isn't it?

[spaceboy0]

I'd like to compare my timing with what you calculated I would get...

Can you give me the exact time of immersion for my location? Vancouver's coordinates that I gave you was only an approximation and not where my house is.

My exact location is 49 deg N 15 min 58 sec and 122 deg W 56 min 45 sec.

The star winked behind at 7:24:32. Does this correspond with what it should be?

[Centaur]

I'd like to compare my timing with what you calculated I would get...

Can you give me the exact time of immersion for my location? Vancouver's coordinates that I gave you was only an approximation and not where my house is.

My exact location is 49 deg N 15 min 58 sec and 122 deg W 56 min 45 sec.

The star winked behind at 7:24:32. Does this correspond with what it should be?

Thanks for the timing and the more precise coordinates, spaceboy0. Although Google Maps and Google Earth place that location within a grove of trees at the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course. My calculated immersion time for that location is 19:24:26 PST, which is only six seconds earlier than your given time.

[spaceboy0]

Please let us know when the next dramatic occultation takes place