Centaur
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/04
Posts: 1380
Loc: Chicago
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The 97% illuminated waning gibbous Moon will occult stars of the Pleiades (M45) cluster for observers in the Americas during the night of 2009 NOV 03/04. Immersions will occur on the lunar bright limb and emersions on the dark limb. Folks located on a graze path will witness a star winking on and off as lunar hills and valleys pass by. Those between graze paths will see full occultations.
I’ve created two graphics related to the event. The first is a graze map for the Americas of the six brightest Pleiads. The second is a preview of the occultations as seen from Chicago’s Adler Planetarium. They can be seen by clicking: http://www.curtrenz.com/astronomical
Photos and descriptions of the event would be welcome additions to this thread.
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For astronomical graphics, including
monthly wallpaper calendar, visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical
Curt Renz - "Centaur"
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Centaur
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/04
Posts: 1380
Loc: Chicago
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Below are my predictions for the three occultations observable from Chicago's Adler Planetarium among the 21 brightest Pleiads. Each star’s coordinates are for the date of the event (not 2000.0). The zenith angle is a star’s position on the lunar limb measured counterclockwise from the zenith.
Atlas – Mag +3.6
RA 03:49:47.4 – Dec N 24°05’09”
Immersion 23:09:02 CST – Zenith Angle 056.7°
Emersion 23:49:00 CST – Zenith Angle 342.0°
HD 23923 – Mag +6.2
RA 03:50:21.1 – Dec N 23°44’39”
Immersion 22:58:43 CST – Zenith Angle 146.5°
Emersion 00:06:42 CST – Zenith Angle 246.6°
26 Tauri – Mag +6.5
RA 03:49:34.6 – Dec N 23°53’22”
Immersion 22:37:37 CST – Zenith Angle 107.8°
Emersion 23:51:59 CST – Zenith Angle 294.2°
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For astronomical graphics, including
monthly wallpaper calendar, visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical
Curt Renz - "Centaur"
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deSitter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 2928
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Where can one find detailed graze maps? Thanks in advance.
-drl
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sc285
newbie
Reged: 06/25/08
Posts: 3
Loc: KS
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limit line predictions and interactive graze paths
located at:
http://www.timerson.net/IOTA/
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14.5" f/5.3 Starmaster with Sky Commander
8" f/7 Starmaster (only 5 made)
6" f/12 Orion 150mm Mak on CG5 Mount
4" f/10 Celestron GP-C102 Refractor (the good one)
Large Assortment of Nagler and Konig Eyepieces
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Centaur
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/04
Posts: 1380
Loc: Chicago
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Quote:
Where can one find detailed graze maps? Thanks in advance.
If you followed the link in my initial post, you would have found my graze map for the upcoming Pleiades occultation. If you reply with your location, I could provide a few graze points through your area, or a polynomial formula that would allow you to draw the graze path on a local map. If given your specific longitude, latitude and altitude, I could provide immersion and emersion times for occultations.
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For astronomical graphics, including
monthly wallpaper calendar, visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical
Curt Renz - "Centaur"
Edited by Centaur (11/01/09 12:51 PM)
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deSitter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 2928
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I did follow the links, and they do not provide graze maps of any accuracy, whereas that provided by sc285 was both accurate and exact, and directly provided by IOTA. The link you provided was less than useful, it was frustrating, and Chicago-centric.
-drl
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Centaur
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/04
Posts: 1380
Loc: Chicago
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Quote:
I did follow the links, and they do not provide graze maps of any accuracy, whereas that provided by sc285 was both accurate and exact, and directly provided by IOTA. The link you provided was less than useful, it was frustrating, and Chicago-centric.
-drl
And thank you so much for your kind words and all of the hard work you have done for me, deSitter. I’m pleased that you appreciated my giving you a heads up on the Pleiades occultation, and that you took a moment to study the wide area graze chart I took considerable time to create. Since you did not provide your location in your profile, the way most members do, sorry but I had no idea whether you live in Chicago or elsewhere. I did communicate to you specifically that if you provided your exact location (including altitude above sea level), at no charge I would do the work to calculate for you precise graze and occultation information. Some of us are givers, and some of us are takers. Apparently that’s the way the world is.
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For astronomical graphics, including
monthly wallpaper calendar, visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical
Curt Renz - "Centaur"
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Jim Rosenstock
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/14/05
Posts: 3727
Loc: MD, south of the DC Nebula
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Thanks once again Curt. 
Jim
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Centaur
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/04
Posts: 1380
Loc: Chicago
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Quote:
Thanks once again Curt.
Jim
You’re most welcome, Jim. Thank you for your positive feedback. You’re one of the good guys!
I have to wonder why someone else might automatically assume that another source is more accurate than my work? I rely on NASA/JPLs latest numerical integration software DE 421 through the intermediary of Solex for determination of the Moon’s position. I calculate the stars’ positions beginning with SIMBAD’s 2000.0 data and project to the current date by properly considering precession, nutation, aberration, proper motion and radial motion. I then apply (with a few improvements of my own) Jean Meeus' algorithm for graze limits at any given longitude. I’ve written software that draws the path accurately on a wide area map. And for anyone who requests it, I provide polynomial formulae I can create for calculating graze points, times, celestial altitudes and the positions of each star on the lunar limb that are highly precise specifically for an observer’s local area.
I hope you have a chance to see the upcoming Pleiades occultation, Jim. Reports on it are welcome here. I’ll be sure to continue providing heads-ups and maps and for significant occultation events observable at nighttime in English speaking countries. The next one for both Europeans and North Americans will be the Pleiades occultation of 2009 DEC 28/29. But before that there will be a similar one for (East) Indians and Australians on DEC 01. As always, I’ll be happy to provide customized information for specific locations to those who request it.
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For astronomical graphics, including
monthly wallpaper calendar, visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical
Curt Renz - "Centaur"
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4577
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Curt,
I appreciate the hard work involved in producing the the graze data and the excellent service you have provided without charge to any interested in precise localized data. Thanks so much for this. Don't let the negative attitude of a few interfere with your sincere efforts to inform.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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RobertED
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/11/03
Posts: 1194
Loc: Johnston, RI
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You rule!!, Curt!! Thank You!!
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Centaur
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/04
Posts: 1380
Loc: Chicago
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Thanks for your kind words of support, Rich & Robert. The grouch must have just been having a bad day. To those of you in California, like Rich, it may appear from my graze map of the six brightest Pleiads that you are shut out from this event. But three of the Pleiades lesser lights will be occulted for Californians. If anyone wants details on that, feel free to reply with an exact location.
Below is a graze map similar to the one on my website, but with 21 Pleiads rather than just the 6 brightest. I did not add the star name labels due to the potential for clutter. But if anyone notices a graze path passing near his home, please let me know if more precise graze path information is desired and for what area.
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For astronomical graphics, including
monthly wallpaper calendar, visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical
Curt Renz - "Centaur"
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blb
sage
Reged: 11/25/05
Posts: 219
Loc: Piedmont NC
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Quote:
Curt,
I appreciate the hard work involved in producing the the graze data and the excellent service you have provided without charge to any interested in precise localized data. Thanks so much for this. Don't let the negative attitude of a few interfere with your sincere efforts to inform.
Here, Here! I too would like to think you Curt. I also would like to thank you for Jupiters moon occultations also. Because of you I have seen things I have only read about.
Thanks Buddy 
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C-11, C-6, XT10i Dob, ETX125PE, TV102, & AT66
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John Noble
super member
Reged: 05/07/08
Posts: 179
Loc: Sandy Eggo, California
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Thanks to both of you for providing maps. I'm awaiting an occultation at the moment, though seeing and transparency are so bad that I'm not sure I could see an occultation of a 747. 
Quote:
If you followed the link in my initial post, you would have found my graze map for the upcoming Pleiades occultation.
With respect, I think drl was responding to the tone of this statement. I'm sure you had a smile on your face when writing it, but it does read very much like a scolding. Now can we all play nice?
Thanks again for the number crunching!
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"We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made or only just happened."
--Huckleberry Finn
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