2011-06-23+27 Pluto+Charon+Hydra occultation

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Overview

The Meudon group (Sicardy, Widemann, etc), the MIT/Williams group (Person, Bosh, Pasachoff), and the PHOT SwRI/Wellesley group (Young etc.) are all chasing two bright events in June, 2011. Both are very bright in the IR, being brighter than Pluto in I, J, H, and K. The June 27 star is brighter than Pluto in B and V as well. The June 23 star is occulted by both Pluto and Charon, and the June 27 star is occulted by both Pluto and Hydra. There is a very faint star on June 23 that is also a possible Nix occutation. This is the PHOT planning page.

Contents


Quick Tips

We have recruited new observers in Southeast Asia and Hawaii for the Hydra track. Welcome! And thank you! Here are some quick tips. If you have any questions, you can call Leslie Young at (63) 905-426-8210 ( Phillippines number, loaner cell phone,only good for calling tonight).

Timing

  • This is a crowded field. You might want to get on the field by 12:30 UT and just track the field.
  • If you can, observe the field before 13:20 UT to measure Pluto and the occulted star separately
  • Observe the Pluto occultation for 20 minutes or more centered on 14:21 UT (Southeast Asia) or 14:14 UT (Hawaii). with 0.5-second or 1-second integrations if you have a short readout time.
    • start no later than 14:11 (Southeast Asia) or 14:04 UT (Hawaii)
  • Observe the Hydra occultation 20 minutes or more centered on 14:54 UT (Southeast Asia) or 14:49 UT (Hawaii) with 0.5-second integrations.
    • start no later than 14:34 (Southeast Asia) or 14:39 UT (Hawaii)
  • Choose a camera of readout mode (region of interest, binning) to keep readout time less than 0.25 seconds, preferably less than 0.05 seconds

Pointing and Field of View

  • The occulted star is 18:25:29.0 -18:48:48 (J2000), and 18 26 09.5 -18 48 22 (Epoch of date). No need to track on Pluto. In fact tracking sidereally is preferred.
  • Wider fields of view (20 arcmin) make finding the field easier, and then you can use a region of interest for the occultation runs.
  • Binning? Yes, if you need to to make your readout time short. Otherwise, bin to have 2-3 pixels full-width-half-max across a star for the best photometry.
  • See finder charts and stars for star-hopping further down on this page.

Filter

  • Open -- no filter

Flats, biases

  • Take flats and biases. Rather than separate darks and biases, it's easiest just to take a lights-off run at the same exposure times as the occultation data.

File formats

  • For those using "planetary video cameras", samve files with 12 or 16 bit.
  • We strongly prefer FITS files.

Timing

Accurate timing is VERY important.

  • Accurate GPS times are ideal if you can do that.
  • Network Timing Protocol (NTP) can help if you don't have GPS times.
  • For other timing ideas, you can ask Dave Gault (+61 2 4754 4351) or Graham Blow (+64-4-479-2504) for advice up before event time.

Event Summary (times, magnitudes)

June 23 11:25 UT is the morning of June 23 in the Eastern Pacific (Hawaii, California, Mexico) and the evening of June 23 in the Western Pacific (Marshall Islands, Nauru, Philippines).

June 27 14:30 UT is the morning of June 27 in the Eastern Pacific in Hawaii and the evening of June 27 or the morning of June 28 in the Western Pacific (Marshall Islands, Nauru, Indonesia, Philippines).

Event UT Date Approx Time Vel km/s
Charon occultation 2011-06-23 11:15:20 local times 23.85
Pluto occultation 2011-06-23 11:24:49 local times 23.81
Nix occultation (faint) 2011-06-23 12:39:25local times 23.81
Pluto occultation 2011-06-27 14:18:41 local times 23.92
Hydra occultation 2011-06-27 14:52:36 local times 23.91


Object Approx RA Approx Dec B V R I J H K
2011-06-23 PC star 18:25:55.4750 -18:48:07.015 17.4 15.18 14.4 12.72 10.957 10.054 9.743
2011-06-23 N star 18:25:55.0631 -18:48:08.702 19.8 18.6
2011-06-27 PH star 18:25:29.0100 -18:48:47.570 14.35 13.71 13.9 12.97 12.326 12.091 11.933
Pluto 15.2 14.4 13.6 13.0 12.9 13.0

Contacts

Science Goals

Atmospheric Monitoring (how pressures and temperatures change seasonally)
Technique - two or more chords for astrometry, one or more with moderate or high SNR (signal-to-noise ratio).
Pluto-Charon orbit constraints
This is a rare opportunity. This has only been observed once before, with a single chord on Charon.
Technique - two or more chords on Pluto and two or more on Charon. These do not have to be from the same sites.
Pluto diurnal variation
Rare to get two events within one Pluto day (6.4 Earth days).
Technique - two or more chords for astrometry, one or more moderate or high SNR for both events
Hydra size and orbit constraints
This would be the first Hydra occultation. Hydra's size is currently very uncertain (diameter between 47 and 167 km). The orbit is also uncertain, and puts some planned New Horizons imaging at risk for missing Hydra.
Technique - Use the June 23 Pluto and Charon occultations to fine-tune a picket fence in Australia.
See public Hydra page
Lower atmospheric structure and oblateness
Previous occultations have shown differences in Pluto's lower atmosphere indicative of methane heating and cooling, and evidence of a non-spherical atmosphere.
Technique - central flash. Here we are constrained by geography. As predictions refine this spring, we can try to concentrate resources near the predicted center line. Because the Pacific offers limited mobility, we'd need to pick our locations by mid-May.
Horizontal spatial variation in the atmosphere
Technique - clusters of telescopes
Vertical structure
Technique - high SNR
Haze constraints
Technique - multicolor

Site Summary

What time is it? http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/personal.html?cities=717,91,1238,437,1440,43,132,1243,1945,778,137,103,276,929,196,240&sort=2

Site links (marked with link symbol) are for internal planning purposes. Contact Leslie Young for access.

Visa requirements: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_4965.html

Mexico
Site Aperture Time Allocated Instrumentation Observers Notes
San Pedro Martir .84, 2.1 nights of June 20, 21 and 22, for the 2-m and the 84-cm PHOT/Doc (vis) CID (IR) Dick French, Bob Howell IWW/PHOT Cameras; Doc
USA
Site Aperture Time Allocated Instrumentation Observers Notes
Sedgewick 0.4 Confirmed Remote Time asked for by Bianco
IRTF 3.0 Time allocated to Gulbis n/a n/a
UH 88-inch 2.2 Confirmed Optic Tholen, remote
Lanihuli Observatory, WIndward Comm. College, Kaneohe HI .4 Contacted, interested. Maybe POETS?  ?  ?
Faulkes Telescope North 2.0 Approved Remote
Hyatt Regency, Maui 0.36 Approved; Bruno's group Raptor? HJ Bode?
Kauai 0.36+0.28? Confirmed Watec? Raptor? Marc Buie, Thomas Widemann, Frédéric Vachier ?
Waikoloa Christopher's 0.41 Confirmed Craig's Photometrics FT Craig Nance , Christopher Erickson needs astrotimer
Hale A a 0.56 (vis), 0.61 (IR) Confirmed PHOT/Henri (vis); NovaSensors (IR) Eliot Young, Kevin Shoemaker,Tony, Wayne IWW/PHOT Cameras
Wake 0.36 Contact made, official approval pending PHOT  ? Go/no-go May 23
Guam 0.36 Contact made PHOT  ? Go/no-go May 23
Howland & Baker unfeasible XX XX XX Uninhabited
Line Islands (Kingman & Palmyra - US) unfeasible XX XX XX Uninhabited
Nauru
Nauru 0.36 PHOT Contact made PHOT/Ansel Peter and Larry LANL ARM. Go/no-go May 23
Marshall Islands
Kwajalein 0.61? PRD sent to D. Marguriet IR? Regester
Majuro 0.36 PHOT Local contact made PHOT Cathy and Harold IWW/PHOT Cameras Walker Scope and camera
Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan, Rota)
Micronesia
Yap 0.36 PHOT Contact made  ? Go/no-go May 23
Chuuk 0.36 PHOT Contact made  ? Go/no-go May 23
Pohnpei, 0.36 PHOT Contact made  ? Go/no-go May 23
Kosrae 0.36 PHOT Contact made  ? Go/no-go May 23
Pulau
Philippines
Site Aperture Time Allocated Instrumentation Observers Notes
Christopher Go, Cebu .36 Confirmed PHOT/Eadweard LYoung + ? IWW/PHOT Cameras
Armando Lee, Astrocamp Obs, Pasay .28 Interested. Large enough telescope?  ? ?
NISMED, Quezon City .4 Talked w/ Dr. Tan. Telescope is available PHOT + local ? Doesn't track?
John Nassr, Stardust Observatory, Baguio City .41 For June 27  ? ?
Indonesia
Site Aperture Time Allocated Instrumentation Observers Notes
Bosscha, West Java .6 Confirmed PHOT/Gjon MBullock + JStansberry IWW/PHOT Cameras Gjon
[LAPAN station, Biak Island - Contact made PHOT Go/no-go May 23
LAPAN station, Tanjungsari 0.46  ?
Avivah Yamani  ? Emailed
Papua New Guinea
Site Aperture Time Allocated Instrumentation Observers Notes
Manus Island 0.36 Contact made PHOT Difficult logistics
Australia
Darwin 0.36 PHOT? Contact made  ? LANL ARM
Faulkes Telescope South 2.0 Confirmed
Vanuatu

Star info

Catalog

June 23 18:25:55.4750 -18:48:07.015 

USNO B1.0 0711-0590849

June 23

Globes and Ground Tracks


Finder Charts

Field Images

2011-06-23 star (Pluto and Charon occultation)

P110623 4 arcmin

Click on the image to the left to see the full resolution 1024x1024 image. The pixel scale is 0.26 arcsec/pixel for a total FOV of 266 arcsec. The seeing in this image is about 1 arcsec and is a 20 second exposure with an I filter taken at Magdalena Ridge Observatory by Bill Ryan. The occultation star is in the center of the cyan box in the center of the image. Below is a zoomed image on just the star. The zoom box is 128x128 pixels for a FOV of 33 arcsec. North is up and East is to the left.

P110623 zoom

2011-06-27 star (Pluto and Hydra occultation)

P110627 4 arcmin

Click on the image to the left to see the full resolution 1024x1024 image. The pixel scale is 0.26 arcsec/pixel for a total FOV of 266 arcsec. The seeing in this image is about 1 arcsec and is a 20 second exposure with an I filter taken at Magdalena Ridge Observatory by Bill Ryan. The occultation star is in the center of the cyan box in the center of the image. Below is a zoomed image on just the star. The zoom box is 128x128 pixels for a FOV of 33 arcsec. North is up and East is to the left.

P110627 zoom

Finder charts (DSS & UCAC2)

June 23

Finder chart with UCAC VR mags plotted over DSS image, 20 arcmin

Finder chart with UCAC VR mags plotted over DSS image, 10 arcmin

Finder chart with UCAC VR mags plotted over DSS image, 5 arcmin

Finder chart with UCAC VR mags plotted over DSS image, 2 arcmin

Finder chart with reference stars A-J marked, 10 arcmin

Finder chart with reference stars A-F marked, 5 arcmin

Finder chart with reference stars A-E marked, 2 arcmin

Field image with reference stars A-E marked, 266 arcsec

June 27

Finder chart with UCAC VR mags plotted over DSS image, 20 arcmin

Finder chart with UCAC VR mags plotted over DSS image, 10 arcmin

Finder chart with UCAC VR mags plotted over DSS image, 5 arcmin

Finder chart with UCAC VR mags plotted over DSS image, 2 arcmin

Star hopping

Bright stars near the Pluto occultation stars this June suitable for "walking" down to the field. All coordinates are J2000.

  1. Star Mag RA, DEC (J2000) RA,Dec (Date) Distance
# Star Mag RA, DEC (J2000) RA, DEC (date) Distance
1 Sigma Sgr = Nunki = 34 Sgr = PPM 259078 = HR 7121 = SAO 187448 2.0 mag 18 55 15.9 -26 17 49 18 55 58.6 -26 16 54 15 degrees away
2 Lambda Sgr = HR 6913 = SAO 186841 = PPM 268438 2.8 mag 18 27 58.2 -25 25 20 18 28 40.7 -25 24 52 10 degrees away
3 Mu Sgr = HR 6812 = SAO 186497 = PPM 268080 3.9 mag 18 13 45.8 -21 03 32 18 14 27.0 -21 03 18 4.5 degrees away
4 HR 6769 = SAO 161093 = PPM 234067 5.3 mag 18 07 48.3 -17 09 14 18 08 28.3 -17 09 06 2 degrees away
5 HR 6933 = SAO 161540 = PPM 234623 5.5 mag 18 30 11.9 -18 43 45 18 30 52.4 -18 43 14 1 degree away
6 HD 169355 = SAO 161449 = PPM 234508 7.3 mag 18 24 59.9 -18 32 19 18 25 40.3 -18 31 54 0.34 deg from 23rd star; 0.30 deg from 27th star
7a HD 169602 = SAO 161423 = PPM 234526 (a double star) 8.8 mag 18 26 11.7 -18 32 21 18 26 52.1 -18 31 54 0.27 deg away from 23rd star
7b HD 169273 = SAO 161442 = PPM 234502 9.4 mag 18 24 43.7 -18 44 10 18 25 24.2 -18 43 45 0.19 deg away from 27th star
x P110623 15.18mag 18:25:55.5 -18:48:07 18 26 35.9 -18 47 41 23rd star
x P110627 13.7 mag 18:25:29.0 -18:48:48 18 26 09.5 -18 48 22 27rd star

Nothing brighter than 10.0 is closer to either star.

Proxies

I-band proxies

  • P-6 hours 12 29 40.995 -18 44 50.17 I=12.799 Denis J122941.0-184450
  • P-2 hours 16 23 32.906 -18 49 40.09 I=12.802 Denis J162332.9-184940

Schedule

Time Zones

What time is it? http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/personal.html?cities=717,91,1238,437,1440,43,132,1243,1945,778,137,103,276,929,196,240&sort=2

Location Timezone UTC offset
Java (Bossca) WIB UTC+7
Philippines (Cebu) PHT UTC+8
Western Australia (Perth) WST UTC+8
Cental Australia (Adalaide, Alice Springs, Darwin) CST UTC+9.5
Eastern Australia (Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne) EST UTC+10
Nauru UTC+12
Marshall Islands (Majuro, Kwajaleain) MHT UTC+12
Hawaii (Kauai, FTN, Waikoloa, MKO, Hale A'a)) HST UTC-10
California, Baja California (Sedgewick, SPM) PDT UTC - 7
Arizona (Flagstaff) MST UTC - 7
Wyoming, Colorado (Laramie, Boulder) MDT UTC - 6
Nebraska (Lincoln) CDT UTC - 5
North Carolina, Massachusetts (Greensboro, Boston, Wellesley) EDT UTC - 4

CRITICAL DATES

UT Time What
6/23 11:15 UT Charon occultation - C110623
6/23 11:55 UT Pluto occultation - P110623
6/24 01:15 UT cutoff for first lightcurves and times
6/25 00:00 UT cutoff for final lightcurves and times
6/27 14:19 Pluto occ - P110627
6/27 14:52 Hydra occ - H110627

NIGHTLY CALENDAR FOR LONG-HAUL OBSERVERS

We want to know where people are each night. For each of our observing sites, midnight is sometime midday UT, so it makes sense to ask where we are going to be during a particular UT day.

UT Date Java
John,Mark		Cebu
Melissa,Leslie		Kauai,Alice Springs
Marc Buie		Nauru
Larry,Peter		Majuro
Cathy,Harold		Majuro,Kwaj
Regester		Hale Aa
Eliot, Tony		SPM
Bob,Dick
6/17 home Leslie's hometransithome homehomehome
6/18 home transithomeBrisbanetransithomehometransit
6/19 home ManilatransittransittransittransithomeEnsenada
6/20 home Cebu KauaiNauruMajuroHonolulutransitSPM
6/21 home CebuKauaiNauruMajuroMajuroHale AaSPM
6/22 home CebuKauaiNauruMajuroMajuroHale AaSPM
6/23 transit CebutransitNauruMajuroKwajHale AaSPM
6/24 Bossca CebuAlice Springs NauruMajuroKwajHale Aa (Tony lv) San Diego
6/25 Bossca Cebunear A.S.? NauruMajuroKwajHale Aahome
6/26 Bossca Cebunear A.S.NauruMajuroKwajHale Aahome
6/27 Bossca Cebunear A.S.NauruMajuroKwajHale Aahome
6/28 Bossca Manilanear A.S.NauruMajuroKwajHale Aahome
6/29 Yogyakarta transitnear A.S.Brisbanetransittransittransithome
6/30 - homeSydneyLarry transithomeHonoluluhomehome
7/1 John transit home transitLarry homehomeHonoluluhomehome
7/2 John San Fran. home homeLarry homehometransithomehome
7/3 John Home home homeLarry homehomehomehomehome
7/4 John Home home homeLarry homehomehomehomehome

Time Line

UT Time Who Where Local Time What
6/16 21:26 PTamblyn Denver Th 6/16 15:26 = 3:26 PM To Brisbane via SFO, AKL.
6/17 03:00 LWasserman Phoenix Th 6/16 20:00 = 8:00 PM To Brisbane via LAX
6/17 18:05 MBrucker, LYoung Denver Fr 6/17 12:05 = 12:05 PM MB arrive; LY pick up, get Cert. of Reg. signed. MB to stay at LY's 303-747-9161
6/17 20:00 LWasserman Brisbane Sa 6/17 06:00 = 6:00 AM arr Brisbane
6/18 01:10 PTamblyn Brisbane Sa 6/18 11:10 = 11:10 AM Arr BNE
6/18 13:45 DFrench Boston Sa 6/18 9:45 = 09:45 AM Dick lv Boston JetBlue 415 Boston -> San Diego 945am -> 1249pm
6/18 16:36 MBrucker, LYoung Denver Sa 6/18 10:36 = 10:36 AM MB, LY fly Denver-> Cebu via Salt Lake City, Tokyo, Manila
6/18 18:18 COlkin,HReitsema Denver Sa 6/18 12:18 = 12:18 PM UA-512 1218P DEN - 339P HNL & UA-1522 1030P HNL-140A Majuro
6/18 19:00 RHowell Denver Sa 6/18 13:00 = 01:00 PM Southwest 2937 Denver -> San Diego 100pm -> 220pm
6/18 19:49 DFrench San Diego Sa 6/18 12:49 = 12:49 PM Dick arr San Diego. Spend night in Ensenada
6/18 21:20 RHowell San Diego Sa 6/18 14:20 = 02:20 PM Howell arr San Diego. Spend night in Ensenada
6/19 01:39 COlkin,HReitsema Honolulu Sa 6/18 15:39 = 3:39 PM arr HNL
6/19 08:30 COlkin,HReitsema Honolulu Sa 6/18 22:30 = 10:30 PM lv HNL. UA-1522 1030P HNL-140A Majuro
6/19 11:00 PTamblyn, LWasserman Brisbane Su 6/19 21:00 = 09:00 PM Our 002 BNE-INU 6/19 21:00-04:45 6/20
6/19 13:40 COlkin,HReitsema Majuro Mo 6/20 1:40 = 1:40 AM Arr. Majuro.
6/19 13:55 MBrucker, LYoung Manila Su 6/19 21:55 = 9:55 PM MB, LY arrive Manila. Stay HOTEL MANILA 63-2-8123456
6/19 14:18 JRegester Greensboro Su 6/19 10:18 = 10:18 M lv Greensboro. UA-4290 1018A Greensboro - 1149A Newark & UA-157 110P Newark-550P HNL
6/19 16:45 PTamblyn, LWasserman Nauru Mo 6/20 04:45 = 04:45 AM arr Nauru
6/19 20:18 MBuie Denver Su 6/19 14:18 = 2:18 PM UAL-786 218P DEN-355P SFO & UAL-773 454P SFO - 731P Kaui
6/20 03:50 JRegester Honolulu Su 6/19 17:50 = 5:50 pm arr Hnl.
6/20 04:45 MBrucker, LYoung Manila Mo 6/20 12:45 = 12:45 PM MB, LY fly Manila -> Cebu
6/20 05:30 MBuie Kauai Su 6/19 19:30=7:30 PM Arrive Kauai. HOTEL LIHUE 1-808-3381625
6/20 06:06 MBrucker, LYoung, CGo Cebu Mo 6/20 14:05 = 2:05 PM MB, LY Arrive Cebu, Phil. Air flight 861. CG to pick up at airport.
Stay at MARRIOTT CEBU CITY, 63-32-411-5800. Contact: Leslie cell (303-349-8638) for short calls only.
6/20 12:03 EYoung Denver Mo 6/20 06:03 = 6:03 AM Lv Denver UAL 601 6:03A DEN - 7:42A SFO & UAL 6236 8:51A SFO - 11:19A KOA
6/20 13:15 TVengel Santa Barbara Mo 6/20 06:15 = 6:15 AM Lv Santa Barbara UAL 5416 6:15A Santa Barbara - 7:44 SFO & UAL 601 8:51 SFO-11:19A KOA
6/20 15:30 JRegester Honolulu Mo 6/20 5:30=5:30 AM Lv HNL. Continental-957 530A HNL - 839A Majuro
6/20 20:39 JRegester Majuro Tu 6/20 8:39=8:39 AM arr Majuro
6/20 21:19 EYoung, TVengel Kona Mo 6/20 11:19 = 11:19 AM Arr Kona, night at Hale A'a
6/22 14:00 Bullock, Stansberry Denver We 6/22 21:00 depart for LAX, Taipei, Jakarta, Frontier F9-0419, EVA BR-0015, EVA BR-0237
6/22 22:35 JRegester Majuro Th 6/23 10:35 = 10:35 AM lv Majuro, continental-957 1035A MAJ - 1130A Kwajalein
6/22 23:30 JRegester Kwajalein Th 6/23 11:30 = 11:30 AM arr Kwajalein
6/22 23:15 MBuie Kauai We 6/22 13:15=1:15 PM depart for Alice Springs via SFO, Sydney
6/23 11:15 All All 6/23-24 (West)
6/22-23 (East)		 Charon occultation - C110623
6/23 11:25 All All Pluto occultation - P110623
6/24 01:15 LWasserman Nauru Fr 6/24 13:15 = 01:15 PM offset - 2 hours SOFT CUTOFF FOR LIGHTCURVES & TIME
6/24 03:15 MBuie Alice Springs Fr 6/24 12:45 = 12:45 pm arrive Alice Springs SOFT CUTOFF FOR OFFSET
6/24 06:30 Bullock, Stansberry Jakarta Fr 6/24 13:30 arrive Jakarta, EVA Air BR-0237
6/24 06:38 TVengel Kona Th 6/23 20:38 = 8:38 PM Lv Kona UAL 299 8:38P KOA - 4:47A LAX & 6/24 UAL 6317 7:05A LAX - 7:56A Santa Barbara
6/24 11:30 Bullock, Stansberry Bandung Fr 6/24 18:30 arrive Bosscha Observatory
6/24 14:56 TVengel Santa Barbara Fr 6/24 07:56 = 07:56 AM arr Santa Barbara
6/25 0:00 LWasserman Nauru Su 6/15 12:00 = 12:00 PM HARD CUTOFF FOR LIGHTCURVES & TIMES
6/25 08:30 MBuie near Alice Springs? Su 6/25 18:00 = 6:00 pm end drive day 0 (if leave 1 day early)
6/25 20:45 DFrench San Diego Sa 6/25 13:45 = 01:45 pm JetBlue 416 San Diego -> Boston 145pm -> 1005pm
6/25 20:45 BHowell San Diego Sa 6/25 13:45 = 01:45 pm Southwest 3626 San Diego -> Denver 145pm -> 505pm
6/25 23:05 BHowell Denver Sa 6/25 17:05 = 05:05 pm Southwest 3626 San Diego -> Denver 145pm -> 505pm
6/25 21:45 MBuie Alice Springs Su 6/26 7:15 = 7:15 am sunrise
6/26 00:00 MBuie Alice Springs Su 6/26 9:30 = 9:30 am start drive day 1
6/26 02:05 DFrench Boston Sa 6/25 22:05 = 10:05 pm JetBlue 416 San Diego -> Boston 145pm -> 1005pm
6/26 08:30 MBuie near Alice Springs Su 6/26 18:00 = 6:00 pm end drive day 1
6/27 08:30 MBuie near Alice Springs Mo 6/27 18:00 = 6:00 pm end drive day 2
6/27 14:19 All All 6/26-27 (West)
6/25-26 (East) 		Pluto occ - P110627
6/27 14:52 All All Hydra occ - H110627
6/28 03:10 MBrucker, LYoung, CGo Cebu Tu 6/28 11:10 = 11:10 AM MB, LY lv Cebu, Phil. Air flight 861.
6/28 04:20 MBrucker, LYoung, CGo Manila Tu 6/28 12:30 = 12:20 PM MB, LY arr Manila. Stay HOTEL MANILA 63-2-8123456
6/28 22:30 MBrucker, LYoung Manila We 6/29 06:30 = 06:30 AM MB, LY lv Manila -> Denver or Lincoln via Tokyo, Detroit
6/29 00:00 Bullock, Stansberry Bandung We 6/29 07:00 depart by train for Yogyakarta
6/29 02:20 LWasserman, PTamblyn Nauru We 6/29 14:30 = 2:30 PM 6/29 07:00 Our 001 INU-BNE 6/29 14:30-16:55
6/29 06:55 LWasserman, PTamblyn Brisbane We 6/29 16:55 = 4:55 PM 6/29 07:00 arr Brisbane
6/29 07:00 Bullock, Stansberry Bandung We 6/29 14:00 arrive Yogyakarta
6/29 06:38 EYoung Kona Tu 6/28 20:38 = 8:38 PM Lv Kona UAL 299 8:38P KOA - 4:47A LAX & 6/29 UAL 352 6:01A LAX - 9:20A DEN
6/29 06:55 JRegester Kwajalein We 6/29 18:55 = 6:55 PM Lv Kwajalein. CO-956 655P Kwaj - 330A HNL via Majuro
6/29 08:45 COlkin, HReitsema Majuro We 6/29 20:45 = 8:45 PM Lv Majuro,UA-4070 845P Majuro - 330A HNL
6/29 13:30 JRegester, COlkin, HReitsema Honolulu We 6/29 03:30 = 3:30 AM arr Honolulu
6/29 15:20 EYoung Denver We 6/29 09:20 = 09:20 AM arr Denver
6/29 17:00 COlkin, HReitsema Honolulu We 6/29 07:00 = 7:00 AM lv Honolulu, HNL-DEN via SFO
6/29 22:31 LYoung Denver We 6/29 16:31 = 4:31 PM LY arr Denver. Stay at house, 303-747-9161.
6/29 23:05 MBrucker Omaha We 6/29 17:05 = 5:05 PM MB arr Omaha. Stay at house.
6/30 00:55 LWasserman Brisbane Th 6/30 10:55 = 10:55 AM Brisbane-PHX via LAX
6/30 1:05 COlkin, HReitsema Denver We 6/29 19:05 = 7:05 PM arr Denver
6/30 04:00 MBuie Alice Springs Th 6/30 13:30 = 1:30 PM Quantus-731 130P Alice Springs-445P Sydney.
6/30 06:45 MBuie Sydney Th 6/30 16:45 = 4:45 PM Night at HOTEL SYDNEY 61-2-9267 6511
6/30 17:09 LWasserman Pheonix Th 6/30 1109 = 11:09 AM arr PHX
7/1 03:50 MBuie Sydney Fr 7/1 13:50=1:50 pm SYD-DEN via LA
7/1 01:00 Stansberry Yogyakarta Fr 7/1 08:00 depart for Denpassar, Garuda Air GA-0250
7/1 09:00 Stansberry Denpassar Fr 7/1 16:00 depart for Taipei, SFO, EVA Air BR-0256, BR-0028
7/1 22:06 MBuie Denver Fr 7/1 16:06 = 04:06 PM arr Den
7/2 02:00 JRegester Honolulu Fr 16:00=04:00 pm Lv HNL. HNL-Greensboro via OHARE
7/2 04:30 Stansberry San Francisco Fr 7/1 20:30 arrive SFO, spend the night
7/2 15:23 JRegester Greensboro Sa 11:23 = 11:23 am arr Greensboro
7/2 16:30 Stansberry San Francisco Sa 7/2 08:30 depart SFO, Frontier F9-0668
7/2 19:30 Stansberry Denver Sa 7/2 12:30 arrive Denver, need to drop camera in Boulder c. 2pm.

Tips

Observing

  • Things to observe
    • Occultation run
    • pre and post run for really good upper baseline
    • longer, high SNR exposures when Pluto and star are separated for good lower baseline
    • flats - aim for high (>5,000) but not saturated (don't know for PHOT ... 30,000?)
    • dark/bias. Preferable a set at each exposure time used.
    • Run at your expected rate or duration before the event -- could even be daytime
  • Timing
    • General - start at least 5 minutes before earliest predicted ingress and continue to at least 5 minutes after latest predicted egress
    • 1 sec or faster
    • < 10% deadtime
    • Example timeline for this event 
JUNE 23
FTN TIMELINE 
10:14 - 10:24 start observing, acquire field, focus
10:24 - 10:29 longer exposures
10:31 - 11:01 pre-event run
11:04 - 11:34 event run, includes Charon and Pluto
11:36 - 12:06 post-event run
12:09 - 12:14 longer exposures

JUNE 27
FTN TIMELINE
13:11 - 13:21 start observing, acquire field, focus
13:21 - 13:26 longer exposures
13:28 - 13:58 pre-event run
14:01 - 14:31 Pluto run
14:32 - 15:01 Hydra run and Pluto post-event
15:04 - 15:09 longer exposures
  • Optimizing SNR
    • The goal is to optimize the SNR of the normalized lightcurve averaged over a scale height (in this case, 2 s). Try different binnings, filters, exposure times and see what looks best.
  • Get some good sky background (at least 50 x 50 pixels)

Reduction (June 23)

  • Test data here: http://data.boulder.swri.edu/ptamblyn/pocc/dropped/.
    • Kwajalein test data in Kwaj_20110427_test.tar.gz.
      • Kwaj data is 16 images per file, one as main HDU followed by 15 extensios
      • 1s for June 23 field is 1Hz/117044532CC000001.fits
      • A (532,510)
      • B (450,542)
      • C (516,586) faint
      • D (436,650)
      • E (552,630)
      • F (910,388)
      • G (200,906)
      • H (98,942)
      • I (184,1010)
    • MicroMax test data in "data of star fields and Pluto from 14-in"
      • Princeton Instruments SPE format
      • 1 s for June 23 field is 20110608_9.SPE, with
      • A (236,286),
      • B (278,320)
      • C (280, 273) -- faint in I?
      • D (340,297)
      • E (295,240)
      • F (62,123)
  • Dark subtraction and flatfielding optional
  • Aperture photometry on Pluto and as many of the reference stars as are in your field.
    • call this F for flux, as in F_P for Pluto, F_A for flux of star A, F_B, etc.
    • During the event Pluto and star A are merged, and you measure F_P+A. Well outside of the event, you get F_P and F_A separately.
  • Normalize F_P+A by some reference. If the reference is noisy you can smooth it before dividing.
    • Call this R for Ratio. If we ratio to star B then during the event R_P+A = F_P+A/F_B. Well outside of the event you get R_P = F_P/F_B and R_A = F_A/F_B.
  • Get the upper baseline
    • R_UB = average of R_P+A away from the event
  • Get the lower baseline
    • The upper baseline is the Pluto flux plus the unocculted star flux (from the separated images)
    • The lower baseline is just the Pluto flux.
    • R_LB = R_UB - R_A
    • If you get separated Pluto you could use R_LB = R_P, but Pluto has a significant lightcurve.
  • Get the normalized lightcurve, LC, such that LC = 1 for unocculted star, and 0 for fully occulted star.
    • LC = (R_P+A - R_LB)/(R_UB - R_LB)
    • Note that LC can be greater than 1 if there are skinny high-altitude waves, and it doesn't have to go to the zero level.
  • Assign times
    • MicroMax (old camera): start time of 1st image = time of first pulse
      • Example: time = 00:00:00. interpulse period = 1 s. Times = [0.5, 1.5, 2.5 ...]
    • PhotonMax (new camera): end time of 1st image = time of first pulse + WinView exposure time (e.g., 2 ms).
      • Example: time = 00:00:00. interpulse period = 1 s. Times = [-0.48, 0.52, 1.52, ...]

Informing Larry and Bruno

6/24 01:15 UT cutoff for first lightcurves and times 6/25 00:00 UT cutoff for final lightcurves and times

Mail the following to pocc20110623+27@boulder.swri.edu and to Bruno Sicardy <Bruno.Sicardy@obspm.fr>

1) GPS Lat & Lon & alt

2) Times of the event: immersion, emersion for 0.5 (half-light) times or 0.8 times. Even if you lightcurve goes deep, report 0.8 times to compare with shallower lightcurves.

NOTE that half-light levels refer to half-way between the star+pluto level ("one") and star alone level ("zero").

3) You can also report a table 

seconds since 0 UT
Pluto count
error in Pluto counts
counts for first reference
error
counts for 2nd reference
error
...

4) If you're in real trouble you can drop tar or gzipped tar files of data and logs here: http://data.boulder.swri.edu/ptamblyn/pocc/. Suggested file name SITE_YYYYMMDD_tag.tar.gz or SITE_YYYYMMDD_tag.tar (e.g., Kwaj_20110427_test.tar.gz)

Retrieved from "http://wiki.boulder.swri.edu/mediawiki/index.php/2011-06-23%2B27_Pluto%2BCharon%2BHydra_occultation"
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