Predicted Lunar Occultations
Limiting Magnitude +6.0
January to February 2012
Details of occultations of fainter stars for your location are available from the director on request. You can either send an e-mail or use the regular post. If you choose the latter means of communication then an SAE is required please.
*** Click on the star name to show a graphic for the occultation event ***
Date | Z.C.
No. | STAR NAME | Mag | Ph | Data for Greenwich | Time UT | Alt | Az | PA |
| Data for Edinburgh | Time UT | Alt | Az | PA |
|
|
6 Jan | 631 | | 5.6 | DD | 00h 25m | 43 | 248 | 85 | 00h 17m | 44 | 239 | 74 |
6 Jan | 634 | | 5.3 | DD | 01h 23m | 35 | 261 | 30 | 01h 31m | 35 | 260 | 1 |
11 Jan | 1332 | | 5.4 | DD | 05h 02m | 32 | 245 | 223 | 04h 56m | 33 | 238 | 231 |
11 Jan | 1341 | | 4.3 | RD | 06h 05m | 24 | 259 | 352 | 05h 53m | 26 | 252 | 357 |
14 Jan | 1670 | | 4.8 | RD | 04h 01m | 35 | 181 | 317 | 03h 54m | 31 | 175 | 322 |
|
6 Feb | 1271 | | 5.9 | DD | 23h 42m | 53 | 188 | 117 | 23h 34m | 48 | 180 | 108 |
8 Feb | 1397 | | 5.5 | RD | 04h 20m | 25 | 252 | 295 | 04h 10m | 27 | 245 | 298 |
9 Feb | 1605 | | 5.9 | RD | 21h 37m | 17 | 112 | 284 | 21h 40m | 14 | 111 | 296 |
17 Feb | 2595 | | 5.7 | RD | 05h 55m | 10 | 148 | 241 | 05h 58m | 5 | 146 | 245 |
NOTES ABOUT THE TABLES
KEY:
Mag Visual Magnitude.
ZC Zodiacal Catalogue number, originally much favoured by lunar occultation observers.
Ph (R)eappearance, (D)isappearance or (G)raze at (D)ark or (B)right limb of the Moon.
Alt. Altitude. The angular height of the Moon above the horizon at the time of the occultation.
Az. The angular position along the horizon measured from true north in a clockwise direction (through E. S. W back to N.)
PA Position Angle, of the event, measured in an anti-clockwise direction from the direction of the Celestial North Pole. |
If you are successful in observing these or any other of the events listed, then please let me know via email (occultation@popastro.com) or the address in Popular Astronomy, or visit the SPA Observing Forum, and share your observation report.
It is worth remembering that more lunar occultation events can be seen during this period, involving much fainter stars. However, this requires a larger aperture telescope to view them successfully. The limiting magnitude for SPA listed events is normally set at no fainter than +6.0, bringing them into the range of smaller telescope apertures in the 60mm - 70mm size. If you do have access to a medium to large aperture telescope, then you will have the capability to observe many more events, even within a single night. If you are interested in seeing a more detailed listing for your specific observing location then please contact me.
