[AZ-Observing] Success on (9) Metis occultation and IOTA conference in California
- From: gene lucas <geneluca@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: AZ-Observing <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, SW-Astrophysics <SW-Astrophysics@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, SAC-Forum <sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, EVAC ONLINE <EVAC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:17:50 -0700
Greetings everybody!
I just got back from my trip to beautiful Greater Metropolitan Kramer
Junction, CA and the (9) Metis asteroid occultation...
Seriously, I was fortunate and successfully observed (and videotaped) a
40.5 second chord on Metis on Thursday evening, Sept. 11 from the Mojave
desert about 13 miles (21 km) north of Kramer Junction (near Boron,
north of Edwards AFB), with my friend Earl Wilson from Lone Pine, CA.
Several other IOTA observers caught the occultation from the same
vicinity, including Mike Collins from Phoenix, Sandy Bumgarner, Derek
Breit, and Walt Morgan from the SF Bay area, Dr. David Dunham from
Maryland, and Rich Nugent from Texas. Others all over S. California
also saw the event. Midwestern U.S. observers were evidently mainly
clouded out, however.
We had mostly clear conditions north of Victorville. Metis is about 200
km (124 miles) in diameter, giving a wide track, and the occulted star
was 6th magnitude, fairly easy, and visible in binoculars despite the
nearly-full Moon. I got both a video recording with my telescope and an
audio recording using binoculars.
A second occultation, by the smaller asteroid (58) Concordia, was
successfully captured by several observers near Victorville early
Saturday morning. I did not attempt that one, due to the fainter
magnitude, low altitude, and early morning timing. (yawn!!)
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we attended the IOTA conference, held at
the Lewis Center in Apple Valley (east of Victorville). The conference
was well-attended, with about 30 participants at Lewis, and a number of
others "tuning in" on the internet broadcast, including Randy Peterson
from Scottsdale. The net participants could see and hear the
presentations, and several presos were included coming in over the
internet from remote participants, including two from Australia.
It was an informative and interesting conference, and I got to meet
several old friends, and some new people.
I did not get down to Pasadena for the PATS show, however, as we had
"overflow" talks on Sunday.
I am now busy reducing my video and audio timings, to prepare a report
to be submitted to IOTA.
The preliminary results are shown (not yet including my chord) on the
IOTA asteroid observations web page:
http://www.asteroidoccultation.com/observations/Results/
There are probably more than 20 or 30 observations of this occultation
known so far, which will provide a good profile or "shape" for (9) Metis.
I would be happy to field any questions or comments about occultations,
and you are encouraged to contact me off-line for discussion.
Cheers,
Gene Lucas
(17250)
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