142 reports have been sent between January and March, about 173 observations (22 possibly positive) of 48 events (8 possibly positive) by 80 observers, from the 14 following countries (and numbers of observers) :

BE = Belgium (11), BY = Belarus (2), CH = Switzerland (3), CZ = Czech Republic (3), DE = Germany (5),
ES = Spain (8), FI = Finland (3), FR = France (27), IT = Italy (4), NL = The Netherlands (3), NO = Norway (1),
PT = Portugal (1), UA = Ukraine (1),  UK = United Kingdom (8).

You will find in the table hereafter the list of the observers abbreviations in alphabetical order, with the number of observations made by each of them.

TAROT (Acronym for “Télescope à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires”) is an automatic telescope, located at Calern Observatory, dedicated to g-rays bursts optical study; when available, it can be used for various survey programs.

2003 (January to March) Observations

Observations are usually negative, excepted when otherwise specified. ‘mp’ stands for the minor planet, ‘*’ for the star. All times are in UTC.

2003.01.02 : (1035) Amata /TYC 1187-00437-1                     CAS (with RJO)      JLX        SCB

JLX observation was partially hampered by clouds.

2003.01.03 : (726) Joella / TYC 4848-02317-1                       HKR      JLX

2003.01.06 : (449) Hamburga / TYC 0283-01002-1               HSC       THO       TKC

2003.01.06 : (126) Velleda / TYC 1902-01783-1-1                 ISG        NVI

2003.01.06 : (51) Nemausa / HIP 27029                  

Three positive :

These positive observations reveal a slight shift (0.4 path width) relative to the prediction.

2003.01.07 : (258) Tyche / TYC 0164-00975-1                       SCB

2003.01.08 : (744) Aguntina / TYC 1328-01927-1                 THO

2003.01.11 : (441) Bathilde / TYC 0231-00063-1                   AME      CQU      FOC       FQS

                                                                                    JQT        LAQ       MID       PSY        SCB

and two positive :

Reports have been received from US observers :

Name

Latitude

Longitude

Height

Disappearance UT

Reappearance UT

Duration

Joe Dellinger

29 22 28.7 N

95 35 36.5 W

+10 m

03:57:08.7

03:57:16.4

7.7

Few seconds interruption around 03:55:00.

Peter Lazar          

30 23 48.8 N

91 04 40.4 W

+20 m

Possible event but clouds.

Paul Bridges

32 01 59 N

82 30 07   W

¤

Roger Venable

31 18 29.8 N

82 27 19.7 W

+31 m

03:55:43.0 ±  0.1

03:55:49.2 ± 0.1

6.2

Roger Venable 

31 22 33.6 N

82 27 14.7 W

+50 m

03:55:42.876 ± 0.008

03:55:47.171  ± 0.008

4.295

Remote recording. Times given are mid-times of the gradual phases. Gradual D : 03:55:42.822/42.929 

Gradual R : 03:55:47.092/47.250

Jeff Lackmeyer       

32 05 41.5 N

82 22 57.9 W

David Dunham         

31 51 15.0 N

81 55 50.4 W

+12 m

D. Dunham, A. Tolea  

31 57 04.2 N

81 55 23.8 W

+48 m

Remote recording

Alin Tolea           

32 03 34.6 N

81 54 33.7 W

+46 m

¤

Tom Crute            

31 43 37.0 N

81 45 33.1 W

?

¤

Stephen Meeks

31 46 54  N

81 22 54 W

?

¤

(courtesy of IOTA)

FOC and SCB were in double station. AME was in double station with LZJ but did not see any event.

LAQ reported an event but it seems spurious since it is not confirmed by the US observers (T. Crute and S. Meeks).

Real path was shifted about 0.9 path width toward South, relative to last update. Due to this shift, the five chords draw only the northern limb of Bathilde.

2003.01.11 : (132) Aethra / TYC 1231-01256-1                     FQS        GCV      HMG

GCV at Linhaceira N 39 31 22.6 W 08 23 01.5 +90 m

            [mp 0.043" ± 0.031" W of * at UT 23:59:54.2 ± 4.5 s  from 36 CCD images]

This observation gives same time but a 0.019" (0.4 path width) shift toward W from Jan Manek update.

2003.01.12 : (738) Alagasta / TYC 1368-00048-1                  BTG       HSC       OKE       THO

and two positive :

HMG reported “a brief dimming near 03:15”

The positive observations show a 0.45 path width shift toward SW, relative to the update. DGE was indeed near the central line, despite a shorter chord value than the maximal one (5.1 s). THO probably missed the shadow path by only a few kilometres.

2003.01.14 : (582) Olympia / TYC 5452-01110-1                   BOL

2003.01.17 : (140) Siwa / TYC 0835-01394-1                         GCV      THU (with DSP)

GCV at Linhaceira N 39 31 22.6  W 08 23 01.5 +90 m

            [mp 0.159" ± 0.025" W of * at UT 00:15:10 ± 7 s  from 35 CCD images]

According to these results, the real path should have been shifted relative to J.Manek's update : 1 path width toward N, 6.5 s later.

2003.01.18 : (234) Barbara / TYC 0814-01598-1                   EFT        HAL       HMG      HSC                        RTH                                                                                    SMD      THU (with DSP)

2003.01.22 : (714) Ulula / TYC 0154-00626-1                        FAR

2003.01.23 : (702) Alauda / TYC 1730 312            

MDT recorded a 4 s occultation at 18:33:54, from N 36 45 00  W 03 52 12, h = +10m

2003.01.23 : (1295) Deflotte / TYC 1351-00864-1                 BNO      CNS       GCV      ROY

                                                                                                   THO

GCV at Linhaceira N 39 31 22.6 W 08 23 01.5 +90 m

            [mp 0.641" ± 0.034" N  of  * at UT 22:24:51.6 ± 4.5 s  from more than 100 CCD images]

A few days before the event, the star was discovered by JLX to be double : the companion, fainter by 2.0 magnitudes, lies 4.55" ±0.1" apart toward SW (PA = 229° ±0.5°). This previously unnoticed binarity have altered the UCAC coordinates, and in consequence Jan Manek's prediction, inducing a large 0".20 ± 0".23 (or 5.7 ± 6.7 path widths) shift toward S of the main component shadow path. This hypothesis is supported by GCV astrometry, in spite of its modest accuracy (which results for a large part from star binarity).

2003.01.29 : (203) Pompeia / TYC 1926-00284-1                  BOL

2003.02.05 : (426) Hippo / TYC 1926-00284-1                       BOL       THO

2003.02.12 : (387) Aquitania / TYC 1926-00284-1                JNK

2003.02.12 : (366) Vincentina / TYC 2411-00003-1               WIN

2003.02.13 : (663) Gerlinde / TYC 4814-00668-1                  ALW      BGS       BLM      BLN                        BNN (with BNJ)       BOL       BTG       BUL       DGE       FAR       FQS                       FVL       HAL    HMG           HSC                        JHP        JNK        OKE (with MSS)    

                                       PAW (with VIG and CYJ)           THO       TVH       VNB      WBB

HMG observation was partially hampered by clouds.

Due to a mistyping in the star coordinates, the real path was situated about 700 km toward NE from the predicted one.

ALW at 's-Gravenwezel N 51°15'??" E 04°35'??"

            [mp 0.47" NE  of  * at UT 19:38:08 from 9 CCD images]

2003.02.26 : (275) Sapientia / TYC 1396-00339-1  BAO      BOL       CKE       JHP        RWD          

                                                                                    SPS        TVH

2003.03.08 : (528) Rezia / TYC 2448-00236-1         BOL       CNS       DEF       DPY       EBA FDD    GCV   KZA                                                                  LHE          LVY       PSY

and four positive :

DEF, DPY, LHE, LVY were in multiple station.

COF : D seemed like a ~2s long fading : D1 first drop 2.5 mag., D2 second drop 1 mag. more (more gradual). Quick R.

JLX : D1 (uncertain drop), D2 (mid-time of what is felt like a slow immersion). Quick and regular R. Duration given is the preferred one between min and max possibilities. Interruption from 21:55:26.5 to 40.5.

GCV at Linhaceira N 39 31 22.6 W 08 23 01.5 +90 m

            [mp 0.31" ± 0.07" NE  of  * at UT 21:57:23 ± 30 s  from 57 CCD images]

According to GCV results, the real path should have been shifted relative to J.Manek's update : 1.29 path width to SW, 41s later. Nevertheless, all the observations –negatives and positives- show a smaller shift (0.3 path width) toward SW : path is delimitated by DEF team and EBA negative observations. The chords can be fitted with an ellipse 80 X 106 km.

2003.03.13 : (258) Tyche / TYC 0156- 00065 -1                        BAO      BER       BOL       FQS          FRP     FVL                              HAL    MDT      PSY        RHM      RTH       SPS        THO

and two positive or perhaps positive :

PCI thinks his observation may be spurious; if no, either the asteroid is larger than the 68 km admitted value (at least 100 km) in diameter, either he saw a 30 km - satellite.

Real path was shifted 0.5 path width toward NW, from last update, as CRM chord is near the maximal value 7.3 s.

2003.03.13 : (200) Dynamene / TYC 1804-01573-1   BOL       FQS        FVL       RTH       THO

2003.03.13 : (117) Lomia / TYC 1416-00054-1          BOL       KZA       PNL       ROY      trt

and five positive or perhaps positive :

BNO : CCD drift-scan, uncertain event not confirmed by others observers (KZA, PNL, ROY).

FBI and LCE were in double station.

JLX noticed instantaneous disappearance and reappearance.

Reduction of the positive observations show a 0.2 path width shift toward NW from last update. The chords can be fitted by an elliptical profile : 185 X 145 km.

2003.03.19 : (417) Suevia / TYC 0790-00973-1          CKE       DGE       HSC       JHP        JLX           OKE (with MSS)                                                                               TVH

2003.03.25 : (159) Aemilia / TYC 0858 - 00862 -1     JNK        MDT      NVI        THO

and one positive :

According to the last update, GBH was exactly on the central line and he registered effectively a chord close to the maximal value (12.7 s).

Other observations  (not in E.A.O.N.  program) :

2003.01.03 : (36922) 2000SN209 / TYC 1845-0822                              MDT

2003.01.07 : (10579) Di Luca / TYC 1276-0341                     MDT

2003.01.08 : (1415) Malautra / TYC 1901-1223                    MDT

2003.01.08 : (15939) 1997 YP 8 / HIP 20762                          MDT

2003.01.13 :(8614) 1978 VP11/ TYC 270-0573                      MDT

2003.01.14 : (2600) Lumme / TYC 1945-1803                       MDT

2003.01.18 : (1050) Meta / TYC 2883-1429                            MDT

2003.01.24 : (511) Davida / TYC 1879-01831-1                     BER

2003.01.27 : (1926) Demiddelaer / TYC 652-00734               MDT

2003.01.31 : (15633) 2000 JZ1/ TYC 1870-1554                    MDT

2003.02.05 : (4260) Yanai / TAC +18º623                              MDT

2003.02.11 : (5483) Cherkashin / TYC 2458-00835-1           DGE

2003.02.12 : (2394) Nadeev / TYC 1259-00240-1                  JNK

2003.02.14 : (30724) 1978 SX2/ TYC 3394-2261                   MDT

2003.02.18 : (51103) 2000 HX12/ TYC 1270-0625                MDT

2003.02.18 : (16070) 1999 RB101/ HIP 19240                        MDT

2003.02.18 : (7110) 1983 XH1/ TYC 745-1327                      MDT

2003.02.20 : (8538) Gammelmaja / TYC 849-0177 MDT

2003.03.12 : (2347) Vinata / TYC 1352-1120                         MDT

2003.03.30 : (1614) Goldschmidt / TYC 776-1229                 MDT

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Received reports and results are summarized on www.euraster.net, a web page maintained by E. FRAPPA from
Saint-Etienne Observatory.

Please send the reports quickly, about positive as well as negative observations ! About the usefulness of negative observations, see the Rezia and the Alagasta events in the current INFO. Negative reports can be decisive to determine the shape or refine the orbit of the asteroid.

Please DON’T FORGET to use the IAU format for the date, YYMMDD.

G. REGHEERE gillesregheere@voila.fr

13 bis rue de l’église

78890  GARANCIERES  -  France