The list shows possible double stars, with separations less than 2", predicted to be occulted by the Moon during February 2012 and visible from parts of Australia or New Zealand. The listing is a very abbreviated version of predictions produced by Occult plus an indication of the region of visibility. Observers need to generate their own precise predictions using Occult.

Observations of all pairs in the list are highly desirable. Those showing an OCc number have been reported as non-instantaneous at a lunar occultation. Confirmation or otherwise of any double nature is wanted.

The list below is generated by OCCULT for a 25cm telescope. Some of the events may be beyond the reach of smaller telescopes.

Please send reports of all observations of these stars to Brian Loader at palbrl@clear.net.nz, including any made in earlier months and not so far reported. And of course if you observe a stepped event for a star, which is not a known double, please report this. More details about reporting follow the predictions.

  
   Lunar Occultations of Close Double Stars in February 2012 for Australia and NZ.

The list shows possible double stars with separations < 2" predicted to be occulted by the Moon during February and visible from parts of Australia or New Zealand. The listing is a very abbreviated version of predictions produced by Occult plus an indication of the region of visibility.   Observers need to generate their own precise predictions using Occult.

The list below is generated by OCCULT for a 25cm telescope.  Some of the events could be beyond the reach of smaller telescopes.   

Observations of all pairs in the list are highly desirable.   Those showing an OCc number have been reported as non-instantaneous at a lunar occultation.  Confirmation or otherwise of any double nature is wanted.

 d P   Star   Mag    %         Double details         WDS or   Area of
Feb      No    v    ill     magnitudes sepn    PA?    OCC #    Visibility 
 2 d     630# 7.7   70+ : AB  8.26 8.45 0.59"  80.5   STF 520  ,AkW
 2 d   76595  8.0   71+ : AB  8.71 8.87 0.07" 263.4   BU 1235  ABCHMRS
 2 D     664  5.5   72+ : **  6.2  6.2  0.05" 350.0   OCc 309  AHMP
 3 d   77019  7.9   79+ : **  8.6  8.6  0.05" 351.8   OCc 866  ,Ak
 4 d   77981  9.1   86+ : **  9.8  9.8  0.10" 121.0   OCc 655  ,AkW
 4 D     946  3.5   87+ : AB  3.5  6.2  1.6"  253.3   BU 1008  AHMP
       R 946: sec star is X 85102
 4 d   78024  9.1   87+ : ** 10.0 10.0  0.05" 350.0   OCc1296  BR,AkChW
 4 d   78103  9.4   87+ : AB  9.5 10.9  1.4"  135.4   COU 273  R
 4 d   78156  9.3   87+ : AB  9.1  9.2  0.30"  39.7   COU 274  APR
 4 d X  8800  8.5   88+ : AB 9.04 10.21 1.71"  50.1   AG 323   P
 5 D    1077  4.0   93+ : **  4.5  4.5  0.10"  90.0   OCc 293  B,AkChIW
 5 d   96610# 8.1   94+ : AB 8.23 10.10 0.62"  65.1   COU 925  BCS
 5 d   96739  8.4   94+ : **  9.1 9.1   0.05" 350.0   OCc1351  P
 6 d   97419  8.8   97+ : AB 8.90 11.14 0.50" 279.0   HDS1133  ,W

 8 r  117991  9.4   99- : AB  9.4  9.5  1.6"   43.3   AG 170   ACMS 
 9 r    1564# 6.7   97- : AB  6.92 8.45 0.60" 247.5   A 2768   ABCHMR,AkChIW
10 r  138347  8.7   90- : AB 9.06 10.49 1.41" 297.8   A 1356   BCRS,AkChIW
10 r  138426  8.8   89- : AB  9.6  9.6  0.40" 272.0   TDS8048  P
11 R    1809! 7.0   82- : **  7.5  8.1  0.01" 122.8   OCc1673  ABCHMRS,AkChI
11 r  138890  8.9   82- : **  9.3  9.3  0.10" 313.0   OCc 428  P
11 R    1815  4.7   82- : **  4.8  8.8  0.10" 214.0   OCc 760  P
12 R    1949# 5.9   72- : AB  6.30 7.29 0.42"  62.2   BU 932   ABCHMPRS
12 r  158101! 9.5   71- : ** 10.1 10.3  0.04" 106.1   OCc1659  P
13 r  158586  8.9   62- : ** 10.0 10.0  0.05" 350.0   OCc1462  ABCHMRS,AkChIW
13 r  158607  9.5   61- : **  9.8  9.8  0.05" 350.0   OCc1463  ACHMS,ChIW
14 r  183552 10.1   49- : AB 10.7 11.1  0.23" 223.2   B 2358   ABCHMRS
16 r X 42308  8.7   29- : AB  8.8  9.3  0.69" 170.0   HDL 133  ,AkChIW
     X 42308: sec star is X141848
16 r  185355  9.0   29- : AB 9.15 11.21 0.10" 205.0   HDS2456  ,AkChIW
16 r X 42464  8.9   28- : AB  9.2 11.0  0.44" 219.6   RST3107  ACHM,ChI
16 R    2535* 6.3   27- : AB 6.60 8.04  0.10"  18.0   HDS2492  P
17 R    2666  4.9   19- : AB 5.03 7.43  1.47" 272.8   JC 6     ,AkChIW
       R2666: sec star is X156529
17 R  187040  7.5   18- : AB 7.52 10.56 1.32" 166.1   HO 567   AP
     S187040: sec star is X158664
18 r    2828  5.8   12- : **  3.7  6.7  0.02" 106.0   OCc 994  ,ChW 
18 r X 45992  9.8   11- : AB  9.9 10.3  1.8"  200.8   HDL 35   ,AkChIW
     X 45992: sec star is X176589
19 R  163460  8.5    5- : **  9.4 10.3  0.06" 125.0   OCc 440  ,ChIW
19 R    2968  6.1    5- : Ba,Bb 6.16 9.14 0.49" 62.6  BAR 12   ,AkChIW
19 R    2969  3.1    5- : Aa,Ab 3.1 4.9 0.10" 209.4   BLA 7    ,AkChIW
       R2969:  B star is R 2968 (206" 266.9) 
19 r  163551  8.4    5- : **  9.8  9.8  0.10"  89.0   OCc 920  ABCHMRS
19 R  163569  9.2    5- : AB 10.0 10.0  0.31"  56.3   RST4065  BR
19 R  163563  8.6    5- : **  9.6 10.2  0.09" 190.5   OCc 402  ABCRS

25 d     102  8.8   11+ : **  9.6  9.6  0.10"  82.0   OCc 833  BRS
28 d   75809  9.2   35+ : **  9.6  9.6  0.10" 214.0   OCc 898  AM
29 d X 68409 10.1   43+ : AB 10.7 11.0  0.50" 128.0   TDS2715  R
29 D     601  5.9   44+ : Aa,Ab 6.0     0.52" 281.9   CHR 158  ABCHMRS

======================================================================

Visibility codes:
Australia: A Adelaide, B Brisbane, C Canberra, H Hobart, M Melbourne, P Perth, R Rockhampton, S Sydney

NZ (following a ,) Ak Auckland, W Wellington, Ch Christchurch, I Invercargill.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stars with previous occultation observations: 

!: Recent video discoveries, confirmation needed.  (DD disappearance,  RD reappearance)
   R1809, 2009 May 6 NZ, DD.   S158101, 2006 Jul 5 USA, DD.

#: observations indicating double (DD disappearance,  RD reappearance)
   R630, 2011 Mar 11 Greece, DD;  2011 Apr 8 USA, DD.   R 946, 2011 Nov 14 NZ, RD
   R1564, 2009 Aug 31 USAx4 DD 2+ve, 1-ve, 1 doubtful, DD; 2010 Jul 15 Ausx2, 1+ve, 1-ve, DD;  20111 Nov 19 Aus -ve RD
   R1949, 2004 Mar 7 NZ, RD.

*: Observations not showing double   
   R2535, 2011 Oct 30 Aus, DD.

   Further observations of all the above are needed
==================================================================

 

Reporting Your Observations

The most convenient way of reporting is to use Dave Herald's new version of OCCULT which has a Double Star report option in the Observations editor. Before using it, generate a light curve with Limovie and copy to the clip board. Your graph will then be attached to the email which you can then send to palbrl@clear.net.nz.

Otherwise in reporting please include your name and positional data as for other occultations reports, also your telescope type and method of observing and timekeeping.

For each event give the star name and the times of each step of the event with the corresponding accuracy. The limb PA, Rv and Cct of the event would also be useful.

In addition to measures of the PA and separation of binary stars, there is also a need for an estimate of the magnitude difference. An estimate of this can be made from the step sizes shown by Limovie data. So if possible a determination should be made of the size of each step together with an estimate of accuracy.

Please also report cases where a double event is predicted but none detected. These are especially likely with stars shown with an OCc designation

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