This is a high rank event with a wide path, with centerline close enough to Santa Cruz and Karl to make a "hit" extremely likely for both Santa Cruz and Karl. However, the drop is only 0.35 mag in R, so it will take good S/N to get this. That means we should not scrimp on integration. The duration is 9s, so that's plenty long enough to allow getting a good S/N with a longer integration than if we were just looking for a full drop. 8x perhaps, but it depends on conditions. Make sure the star is bright but not saturated or risking being saturated, and easily strongly visible from one integration to the next.
The plan is to observe this from Pasatiempo and near Scotts Valley after a visit with Karl.
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I'd planned if weather cleared, to have Kirk and I observe from Scotts Valley, or else from north of Soquel. But at decision time - 11:50pm - it was just too cloudy to justify leaving the fine New Year's Eve social that Karl and Karla put together at their place. We stayed at Karl's, and after the stroke of midnight and New Year's arrival, most of the group left for home and bed. I and Karl and Kirk went out to my car and I set up my 8SE, with more socializing of course! and hoped for the best. In fact, we had enough clearing to be able to 2-star align, and for me to properly ID the field and even start the recording. But the clouds were too thick and no target was visible. A noble effort in vain. Still, we had fun, and Kirk grabbed a few pictures
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