2024 Astro Past Events
Jan 1 - Mon 1:06am - Occultation of a 12.7 by Helio, from SC and SC Mtns. High rank, wide path includes SC, Karl, Los Gatos. but only R=0.35 mag drop for 9.2s. Requires longer integration and high S/N to get that small a drop. Plan is, if clear, drive from Karl's to Hwy 17 and down to Scotts Valley and set out Kirk and myself near Pasatiempo Inn. Planning page, Planning and Results page Results: Karl, Kirk and I all stayed at Karl's. I set up my gear and tried it, through the clouds. Got on-target, but clouds thickened. No data.
Jan 6 - Sat eve 9:21pm - Occultation of a w=13.9 star by l'Epee, from Santa Cruz Mtns, rank=78. Karl's odds about 48%, me about 41% at Cabrillo College Observatory. Kirk, less. Only 0.8s duration so don't integrate too long. Planning and Results page. Results: I observed from Rodeo Gulch Rd. Light curve suggests I got a very short event, less than 0.5s, but at 32x, it fails the false positive test. Kirk had a miss.
Jan 7 - Sun morn 1:52am - Occn of a w=12.6 star by 1999JU34 56% odds on centerline, 43% from Natural Bridges, only 15% from my home. 0.6s duration, alt=58 Auriga. A sleep killer; if I'm up to it, I may try from Natural Bridges. Planning and Results page. Results: Got a recording, looks like a 'miss' at Natural Bridges. Kirk too, from home.
Jan 7 - Sun eve at 6:53pm - Occn of a w=12.1 mag star by (1731) Smuts, from Santa Cruz and SC Mtns. High rank, almost certain odds for Santa Cruz and Karl. 4.2s duration, Alt=30, Az=91. Planning and Results page Results: Kirk and I both got 3 to 4s positives; me from home, he from UCSC upper meadow bike path. Karl got "tree'd". IOTA report sent in 1/16/24.
Jan 8 - Mon morn - Spectacular occultation of Antares by the 11% crescent moon. D=5:37:00am, R=6:27:01am at 69s cusp angle and sun at -11 in with some dawn light. Antares has a 5th mag blue companion, which is only visible at the R, during occultations such as this one. This will be a great opportunity for a color video to show this. Results: Kirk and I both got great video and images, from the bike path at Upper Meadow, UCSC under frozen conditions. Planning and Results page.
Jan 9 - Tue eve 11pm - Occultation of an 11.1 by 2000AZ1, from Rodeo Gulch. Narrow path, 40% odds at Rodeo Gulch, much less at home, and for Kirk and Karl. Planning Page. Results: Karl reported a miss, I had a miss at Rodeo Gulch ridge.
Jan 11 - Thur morn 2:10:44am - Occultation of a W=12.9 star by Barryburke through Santa Cruz. high alt=71deg, tough because it's only 0.35s duration, but full drop. Two bright stars should make field ID easier than some. Planning page. Results: Got a good recording from home. Looks like a .08s positive; Kirk had a miss. Karl no attempt, too far from the path.
Jan 11 - Thur eve 10:50pm - Occultation of a w=14.1 stary by Primolevi, from Santa Cruz. High rank, we're ~on center line. 1.9s duration. Faint, but longish integration of 32 or 64x should get it. Planning and Results page Results: I observed from bike trail Upper Meadow UCSC. But poor alignment of scope and I never ID'd the field, at 78 deg altitude, difficult.
Jan 14 Sunday at 10pm - Occultation of an 8.8 star by Callisto (6.2 mag) (Jupiter satellite), high value event, but only 0.087 mag drop, so will take good data. Jupiter mission people are interested in getting occ data for accurate orbit updates for Callisto. Will need to use a Jupiter moon on the opposite side for comparison. Adjust gain to avoid saturation. 8 min duration at max, and maybe 5min for us. LuckyStar wants good timings to help the upcoming IceyMoons space mission to Jupiter. Planning and Results page Results: Got a recording, wispy clouds made variance too high to pull a 0.087 mag drop from the data. Kirks data similar. Karl's camcorder could not be used because he left the remote control with me, earlier; no data
Jan 15 Mon eve 10pm - Occultation of an w=11.3 by 1994VA, from Pajaro Dunes. 65% odds at centerline. Convenient time. Planning page Results: I drove Kirk and I down to the ag fields south of Watsonville and we both got lucky with the cloudy sky and fickle asteroid path and got positives.
Jan 22 1-2pm Flex zoom link "Creating Dept webpages" Ramesh and Kristin F (1hr flex credit)(done)
Jan 24 10:30-11:30am Zoom flex "How to schedule rooms in AdAstro"
Jan 24 1-2pm - Jennifer Cass Flex on eLumen, zoom.
Jan 24 2:50pm at Mission Safeway. Quest diag. No eating/drinking today. (1hr flex credit)
Jan 25 Zoom meeting with UCSD / UCSC climate faculty strategizing GE transfer, Astro 7. Zoom (good for flex credit 4hrs. See internal Word doc to submit, in "climate" folder)
Feb 3 Sat 1pm - Seymour Center private tour for UCSC-CC (Flex; for your verbal presentation on Astro 7 to UCSC students)
Jan 25 Thur eve - Occultation of a 9.2 Star by asteroid 1992 SP2. Through Santa Cruz. Excellent bright event. Results: Clouds and rain all week and bad cloud predictions made for no prep. But rain stopped a few hours before the event although cloud forecasts were still grim. Then, 13 minutes before the event, clouds cleared! I madly dashed to set up at home, and did get on target - but it was 2 minutes too late. This counts as a "valiant effort clouded out". No others tried this one.
Jan 28 - Sun eve 9:10pm - Occultation of a 13.0 star by Asteroid 2000SL173, from Moss Landing. HIgh rank and narrow path. No chance from Santa Cruz. Only 0.5s duration, 32 altitude in east. Planning and Results page Results: I did this one solo, due to iffy clouds and last minute drive decision. A miss, reported.
Feb 8 - Thur 9:01pm - Occultation of 13.1 by Klumpkea, from Santa Cruz. Can't do both this and Niobe. Planning and Results Page Results: Success from Kirk (home) and I (Nat Bridges), of 1.7s. Karl didn't get data; a combo of failed 2-star align and over-slept a nap. My results reported to IOTA 2/11/24.
Feb 8 - Thur 10pm - Occultation of W=13.9 by 1999ER1 from SC Mtns. Karl nicely inside path, but integrate to get this! 1.7s duration, high in the sky. high rank. 79 degrees up. Need to tilt the tripod or use the 2" diagonal and 0.5x reducer instead. Either way, push scope ALL the way up into the dovetail jaws! Planning and Results page. Results: Kirk got a recording, a miss. I tilted the tripod to access high altitude, and this caused failure to GoTo. The 1-hr time between this and Klumpkea was not enough time to re-pack, drive to upper UCSC meadow, set up, and recover from the failed GoTo.
Feb 15 Thur eve 11:30pm - Occultation of a R=12.9 star, from Mill Rd Santa Cruz site, up Branciforte. Narrow path. 0.7s duration. The path is so narrow that it is unlikely to be a 'hit' from either Kirks, mine, or Karl's place. But 50% odds from the bike crossing Upper Meadow UCSC, and good odds from Mill Rd opposite DeLaveaga Park in Santa Cruz. Planning and Results page. Results: I observed a miss from Mill Rd.
Feb 21 Wed at 9:53pm - Occultation of a R=10.4 star by asteroid 2001QM89, from SC Mtns and Ano Nueovo. centerline odds=58%. Almost 50% odds for Karl at HogBack where it clears horizon. Only alt=15 at Az=86. Planning and Results page. Results: Karl was clouded out at the HogBack. I drove to Mtn. Charlie monument and goet set up and did a GoTo the target, but clouds were too thick to identify it positively. I taped anyway, and 5 min after the event, the clouds cleared enough to see that the target star was actually above the top of the field of view, so we got no data. Kirk did not try.
Feb 23 Fri at 3:47am - Occultation of a bright 7.8 star by 2001QT244 from Loma Prieta area. Karl's odds 40%, and over 60% from the hogback. Alt=25, Az=290, Duration 0.5s. Planning and Results page. Results: Clouds came in, no one tried it.
Feb 24 Sat 8:36pm - Occultation of a R=13.5 by Bartels, from Rodeo Gulch. High rank 0.8s duration, alt=76. Should be do-able if clean skies and short integration of 4x or 8x max. But full moon will make tough. Planning and Results page Results: Kirk and I both got recordings; he from Sunlit Ln, me from upper Branciforte lot. Unreduced.
Feb 24 Sat 11:47pm - Occultation of a R=10.4 Star by Asteroid Penny - from Lark Ave in Los Gatos. Only 0.2s duration and narrow path. Planning and Results page. Results: I observed, from Oka Rd orchard in Los Gatos. Got a 0.16s positive. Kirk, Karl did not try this one. I still need to submit IOTA report.
Feb 25 Sun eve 10:35pm - Occultation of a 12.8 Star by van Woerkom, from Santa Cruz. High rank. 0.8s duration. Alt=54, Az=254. Partly cloudy predicted. Planning and Results page. Results: Kirk and I both got recordings and probable positives, unreduced.
Feb 28 Wed eve 11pm - Occultation of a 13.0 combined (star R=13.9) by Arethusa, from Santa Cruz. 0.35 drop, but long central duration 7s. Several other observers from north of us. So, opportunity for decent shape mapping. Planning and Results page Results: Kirk and I both got recordings. Karl did not attempt.
Mar 8 Fri eve 11:57pm - Occultation of a R=13.0 by Gawain, from Moss Landing, and west-side Santa Cruz only. High rank, 1.7s max duration. Planning and Results page Results: Kirk and I both got ~1s positives. Path missed Karl.
Mar 9 -Sat 6:51pm - Occultation of a 10.1 by Blakee from Santa Cruz downtown. Good rank, sun-=-9. Alt=74, dur=0.5s. Kirk and I are well placed. Karl not. Planning and Results page. Results: Heavy cirrus and twilight prevented good 2-star align, GoTo's failed, field stars could not be ID'd, for both me and Kirk. No data. Clouds only worsened later.
Mar 12 11;51pm - Occn by Vesta Planning and Results page. Results: Got a positive from my driveway. ~36s. Kirk did not try, Karl had scope trouble.
Mar 13 1:04am - Occn of 10.3 by 1999JK7 Planning and Results page Results: Got a nice 0.3s positive from Olive Springs. Kirk and Karl no observations
Mar 13 - eve; Comet Pons-Brooks photography at Wilder Ranch (solo).
Mar 14 Thur - 12:20am - Occultation of a R=12.25 combined star+ by asteroid Doris. Wide path, high rank, 0.35 drop, 14s duration. All of Team Santa Cruz is inside the path. We've got 14s to work with, so my advice is to integrate long enough to make sure you see the target nice and bright. We need to be able to detect a small 0.35 mag drop. Planning and Results page. Results: I got a 18.5s event behind the Arboretum at UCSC, Kirk a 17.8s event from "the Berm". Karl did not attempt. Reported to IOTA 3/27/24
Mar 14 Thur eve - Moon clips southern edge of Plieades. Good photo-op. Results: Got some nice Nikon images here.
Mar 18 Mon morn 1:28am - Occultation of R=11.9 star by 2004RM103, 30 deg up in south. Karl inside northern limit. Good rank. Maybe socialize there and then deploy? Planning and Results page Results: Karl, Kirk and I all got recordings from the Highland Ave area of the summit. Karl at home, Kirk at the Skyland Church, me another mile or so further south near centerline. All of us got misses.
Mar 24 Sun at 9:23pm - Occultation of R=12.2 star by 1993LF, from SC and SC Mtns. Planning and Results page Results: Faulty switch on my VTI ruined my otherwise good setup under clear skies at upper UCSC. Kirk recorded at "the berm", not reduced yet. Karl not in the path.
Mar 28 Thur eve 11pm - Occultation of a R=9.9 Star by 2000UY51 from Scotts Valley and SC Mtns. Planning and Results page Results: Kirk and I got recordings from just north of Scotts Valley under fairly clear skies, at 1/60s integration. We both got misses.
Apr 1 Mon eve - Occultation of 12.2 star by 1999RH123, at 8:40pm. Sun=-14. Narrow path, centerline over Wilder Ranch, where I've set a site. Duration 0.6s. Kirk try from home? Planning page Results: I got a 0.46s positive from Wilder Ranch.
Apr 5-7 Fri-Sun - Astro 27 at Laguna Mtn and Pinnacles National Park Results: Good success. We accomplished most of our goals; successful lectures on all topics, successful hike to Laguna Falls, and through the Bear Gulch Caves to the Pinnacles National Park reservoir. Cold, clouds through much of Friday night and late Saturday night, but clear for the Carina Occultation which we treated students too. Lots of firewood kept everyone happy.
Apr 6 Sat eve 9:29pm - Occultation of a R=12.5 Star by Carina, from wide range centered on Laguna Mtn Campground. Planning and results page. Results: A success. I got a ~2.7s (at 4x) event from 4 mi south of Kirk who was back at Laguna Mtn Campground. Kirk got a good taping at 2x
Apr 8 Mon morning 10:16am - Partial eclipse of the sun. 36% from Soquel. I plan to set up the GTF81 scope on Losmandy mount and bring plenty of "eclipse glasses" for the students, community on the amphitheater at Cabrillo. Planning and photo page. Results: Big success! clear skies got lots of action pictures and maybe ~100 people came by to watch the eclipse.
Apr 9 Tue eve - 2% moon just below Comet Pons-Brooks at 4th magnitude. Great photo op I hope. Try from water tank? Or tell Astro 8A'rs to meet at a dark site instead of Cabrillo perhaps. Results: Clear skies, met students at Hort entrance, got images, showed students the comet in 10x70's and in GTF81.
Apr 11 Thur morn 1:09am - Occultation of a R=11.6 star by Pori; centrally through Santa Cruz, high rank. and Planning page Results: I got a clear ~1.1s positive as seen on the monitor. I observed from Rincon St. behind the tall vegetation hiding the apartment complex. Kirk also recorded; Karl outside of path.
Apr 11 Thur eve 10:13pm - Occultation of a R=12.6 star by 2002RZ24 from Santa Cruz, RUWE=1.8 so it's path is a bit iffy, but nominal asteroid orbit is high rank. Duration 0.3s, R=12.5, so will be faint, urge 2x or 4x at the most, to better insure passing the FP test. Results: Not visible from my place or across the street, and my car's in the shops, so no attempt possible for me. Kirk got it from home, but too tough for reliable analysis.
Apr 16 Tue 9:04pm - Occultation of a R=12.1 star by 2000WE160 from Santa Cruz. I'll try from CabObs. Target 8deg from moon, dur=1s. Planning page. Results: I was too busy with students 705 indoors to get out in time to record it. No data from me.
Apr 16 Tue 10:46pm - Occultation of a R=12.2 by 2001FK160 from SC Mtns, Karl in high rank place, I plan to get from Olive Springs after Astro 8A. Dur=0.4s. Alt=21 in west in Monoceros, 38 deg from moon. Planning page Results: I got a recording from Olive Springs, Karl from home, Kirk from Sunlit Lane.
Apr 28 Sun eve11:51pm - Occultation of a R=11.7 star by 1999TJ223, from SC Mtns near in. RUWE = 3.1 so could shift, but nominal it is of high rank. Alt=28 at Az=270 due west in Cancer. I plan to try it from up Branciforte Rd. Scotts Valley is also good. Alba Rd at Empire Grade is on the centerline. Planning page. Results: I got a positive, Kirk got a marginal positive.
Apr 29 Mon eve 9:51 - Occultation of a R=12.0 Star in Leo by 1995XT, high rank, and lasts a good long 7.6s. Excellent event! I will try from Cabrillo. Suggest Kirk try from home. Karl, if you're game, from Castelegno's. Planning page Results: I had a 7.1s event from Mill St, Kirk had a miss from home. Karl did not try.
Apr 30 Tue eve- 9pm - Occultation of 12.9 star by 1998RM67 from Santa Cruz. Results: Astro 8A night, too busy and did not try it, Kirk got a miss from ~centerline at home.
May 1 Wed - 2:14am - Occultation of a 9.4 star by 2001FW117 from just north of Santa Cruz, or if a bit of a shift, for Kirk. Planning page. Results: I got a recording from Scaroni Rd. Probable miss not reduced yet. No one else tried it.
May 3-5 Fri-Sun - Astro 25 at Carrizo Plain National Monument. Results: Some rain, but overall great trip with lots of photos.
May 8 Wed just after midnight - Occultation of R=11.1 star by 2000LQ19 from Olive Springs. Karl gets the northern limit, I get inside the southern limit. We should get this one. Planning page Results: Successful recording at Olive Springs. Not reduced yet. Karl thinks a miss from visual playback at 8x? 16x?
late April - Program Plans due Wed May 1. Workshop video instructions
May 9 Thur 2:18am - Occultation of R=12.8 by Mallorca, from SC. Good for Kirk too. Not visible for Karl. Planning Page. Results: Successful taping from Kirk at home, me at Natural Bridges entrance. We both got ~0.8s positives.
May 12 Sun morn 12:40am - Occultation of a R=12.3 Star by 2000UY21 from Rodeo Gulch, just south of Karl too. Maybe a movie night at Karl's Saturday night, followed by asteroid hunting on the way home? 0.5s duration, Alt=23 Az=140 Ophiuchus. Planning page. Results: Kirk and I at Rodeo Gulch fogged out, Karl did not try it.
May 14 Tue eve 9:13pm - Occultation of a 12.0 star by asteroid Thule. Special value, to be reported to an astronomer with special interest in this event. Wide path, good rank, long 5.0s duration, alt=46, az=263. I must be at Cabrillo helping students finish photo project, will get it from Cabrillo outside the classroom. Kirk and Karl well inside path from home. Planning page Results: clouded out for all, although Kirk got set up and a valiant effort.
May 15 Wed morn 12:15am - Occultation of a R=13.5 star by Chujkovia. Perfect opportunity to try from Cabrillo Observatory after mounting 12" w/ occ gear. alt=42 Az=154. Path includes Karl and Kirk from home as well. Planning page. Results: I did not have the free time to do this, Kirk got a positive.