156 observations (27 possibly positive) have been performed between September and December, about of 56 events (15 possibly positive) by 73 observers, from the 17 following countries (and numbers of observers) :

AT = Austria (2), BE = Belgium (12), BY = Belarus (2), CZ = Czech Republic (8), DE = Germany (15), ES = Spain (5),
FR = France (3), HU = Hungary (1), IT = Italy (2), NL = The Netherlands (4), NO = Norway (1), PL = Poland (4),
PT = Portugal (1), RU = Russia (1), SK = Slovakia (1), TR = Turkey (2),  UK = United Kingdom (9).

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.

The Alphonsina event on the 2003.12.22 has been treated in the special INFO n°44.

2003 (September to December) Observations

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

2003.09.09 : (174) Phaedra / TYC 0602-00465-1                   EBA

and one possibly positive :

SCB was located in the J. Manek (MNK) predicted path and just at the southern edge of the S. Preston (PST) one. Very bad observation due to low star altitude and high cirrus clouds illuminated by the full moon. Several D and R, most of them spurious, except perhaps from 19:55:34.3 to 19:55:36.9 and from 19:55:57.2 to 19:55:59.8 (around the appulse predicted time).

EBA : CCD drift scan.

2003.09.11 : (357) Ninina / HIP 29752      BAO      BNN      BOL       BUL       HRU      HSC

                                                                     PAW (with VIG)   THO

and three positive :

BUL observation was only partial due to the presence of clouds;   BOL, PAW : video recording;   PAR : CCD camera.

JLX : No recording. Field visible only a few seconds before the event through a hole in the cloud layer.

MNK and PST predictions for the shadow path were in agreement (within less than 10 km). Chords are consistent with a circular profile of 114 km in diameter, in agreement with the 

expected value of 110 km.

2003.09.12 : (1135) Colchis / TYC 0617-00997-1                   HSC       SUP

and one positive :

The NVI positive observation and the SUP negative one (20 km SW from NVI) reveal a significant shift (about one half path width) of the shadow path toward North relative to the MNK up-dated prediction, which put NVI just outside of it, at its northern border.

2003.09.15 : (1010) Marlene / TYC 0003-00917-1                 HMG

HMG was located just outside the MNK and PST predicted paths (both in close agreement), at the southern border, so no conclusion can be drawn.

2003.09.21 : (52) Europa / TYC 0053-01166-1                      JNK

and one positive :

The IVY positive observation shows the MNK and PST predictions were nearly exact, as the observed duration is in close agreement  with the expected one, according to his position in the shadow path and the maximum value of 47.8 s. Assistant :  Olga K. BAZHENOVA.

2003.09.23 : (27) Euterpe / TYC 6844-03116-1                     EBA

and two positive :

EBA : CCD drift scan.

The positive observations show that the predictions were nearly exact.

DGE : due to bad conditions (observation disturbed by clouds), only disappearance is reliable.

JLX : perhaps a one second blink at 20:24:42.6

2003.09.26 : (85) Io / TYC 5184-01124-1                 BDW      BOL       GAA (with GJD)   JNK        SPL                                                                               TKZ

and three positive :

ESE observed a brightening of the star + asteroid pair; only duration is reliable.

GAA, GJD : CCD drift-scan, not including  the appulse time.

IBI, AGV (assistant Irek KHAMITOV) : CCD drift scan at the focus of the 1.5m Russian-Turkish Telescope of Mount Bakyrlytepe Observatory : gradual 0.08 s D and  0.16 s R.

KZJ,  VKM: photoelectric photometer recording; absolute timing is not available, only duration is reliable.

A +42 s shift and a –15 s one must be applied for KZJ and for ESE respectively to fit the chords with a 175 km in diameter circle. Positive observations show that the prediction was nearly exact.

2003.09.26 : (709) Fringilla / TYC 0570-01150-1                   ESE        JHP        KUS

and seven positive :

BEI : CCD camera, 4 frames/s;     GAA and GJD : CCD drift scan;    KUS : three CCD images, each one second duration;

OKE, MSS: video recording;  VKM, KZJ : photoelectric photometer recording; absolute timing is not known, only duration is reliable.

DGG : D and R are not in agreement with others timing.

Chords can be fitted with a 88.3 X 100.6 km ellipse. Positive observations show that the prediction was nearly exact.

2003.09.29 : (305) Gordonia / TYC 0004-00279-1                 JLX

Station situated 1.3 km NW from MNK centreline and 8.2 km NW from PST one. As mp diameter is about 51 km, there has been a significant shift of the shadow path. Perhaps a tiny blink at 01:00:54.6 Observation interrupted by clouds.

2003.10.01 : (131) Vala / TAC +06.00337                              JHP

Three other negative observations performed in USA from stations in the MNK and PST predicted paths (the later being one half path width shifted toward south, relative to the former) show the real path has been significantly shifted.

2003.10.09 : (1354) Botha / HIP 3652                                     BOL       BUL       MDT      VSE

and one positive :

THO, VUP (assistant Johan VANBESELAERE) : occultation has been videorecorded.

This first THO’s positive observation, the VSE negative one and another negative by R. VENABLE (USA) show that the real path was situated between the PST and  MNK  up-dated predictions  (that corresponds to a two path widths shift  toward North and South, respectively).

2003.10.10 : (314) Rosalia / TYC 4682-00458-1                     BOL

2003.10.15 : (754) Malabar / TYC 5080-01344-1                  ACH      BGS       BLN       BTG       BUL         DGE                                                                     DPP        DSY       GBL       GKM (with AHZ) HCP       HMG        HRU                                                                     HSC       JGS        JLX        LEI         MOP      OKE (with MSS)     PSE                                                                     RTH       SMI        THO (with VUP)   VNB      WBB

and one possibly positive :

Shortly before the event, JLX identified the target star with the binary ADS10622, with one component 0.5 Mv brighter than the other and 2.77” apart. So the shadow path has been duplicated, each track being separated by 4900 km and only the brighter component’s one crossing Earth’s surface. Calculation showed that the path would be shifted from Belgium anywhere on the south part of France and central part of Italy.

BOL : No real disappearance, only a brief dimming. As has been stated before, BOL perhaps observed the brighter component occultation.

GBL and PSE were in double station. MOP was observing at Mira Observatory (Brussel) with several other teams.

GKM, HCP, JGS, OKE, RTH, THO : videorecording

2003.11.07 : (790) Pretoria / TYC 1742-00707-1                   JGS

Observation has been video recorded.

2003.11.18 : (5144) Achates / TYC 2422-00790-1                  MDT

2003.11.20 : (410) Chloris / TYC 1372-02290-1                     MDT

2003.11.22 : (925) Alphonsina / GSC 3360-01079                 HCP       PAR

The two observers were in double station. HCP : videorecording.

2003.11.23 : (102) Miriam / TYC 1316-1140                          DSY

and one positive :

ELL : occultation has been video recorded. This first ELL’s positive observation shows the MNK update was nearly exact, since he was located on the predicted central line and

the duration is effectively close to the maximum value  (10.2 s).

2003.11.23 : (98) Ianthe / TYC 3365-01124-1                        AZO       JHP        MDT

and two positive :

AZO : partial survey; GHD : occultation has been videorecorded.

Positive observations show the MNK and PST predictions were nearly exact, since GHD duration is in agreement with what can be expected  from its position in the predicted shadow path and duration maximum value (12.2 s), and SPL was really close to the predicted southern border.  

2003.12.09 : (103) Hera / TYC 0274-00141-1                         BUL       MDT

2003.12.09 : (401) Ottilia / TYC 1952-01874-1                      

Only one possibly positive :

BUL was far from the predicted path (more than 11 path widths). A positive event would suggest the possibility of multiple components for the asteroid; target star is double but

this can’t explain the observation.

2003.12.10 : (674) Rachele / TAC +03 00515                         BUL       GHD      WCH

2003.12.11 : (585) Bilkis / TYC 0688-00862-1                        JHP

and one positive :

STP : CCD drift scan. This positive observation reveals a significant shift of the shadow path relative to the last MNK up-date : St-Andrews Observatory was predicted to be at about one half  path width from its northern border but STP registered a long duration event, relative to the maximum duration (5.9 s).

JHP comment :  “when target star disappeared for 2 to 3 seconds, (…), I believed that I may have obtained a positive result. However, I believe the cause of the disappearance was due to atmospheric effects, such as a thickening of the mist”.

2003.12.14 : (231) Vindobona / TYC 2389-01522-1              BDJ        CNS       SNO       trt

BDJ, CNS and SNO were in triple station, in the predicted path. Their negative observations show there has been a significant shift of the real path.

2003.12.15 : (133) Cyrene / TYC 2373-02434-1                     BUL       JGS

JGS : videorecording

2003.12.18 : (104) Klymene / TYC 1872-00207-1                  BLM      BUL       JGS        PAR       TVH

and one possibly positive :

JGS, PAR, TVH : videorecording.

WSG : Observation with a video camera in long exposure mode (4 frames = 0.16 sec with 25 f/s). An event (depression in stellar brightness from 00:16:57.92 to 00:16:58.40, minimum  at 00:16:58.24 ±0.1s), lasting only one exposure, is probably a scintillation artefact. An occultation by the asteroid can be excluded, as it is not confirmed by other observers, especially BLM, ca 30 km north, JGS, ca. 80 km south, the mp diameter being about 127 km.

PST predicted path was situated two path widths toward North from E. GOFFIN’s one. Negative observations (especially BUL’s one, situated in the initially predicted shadow path) show that the real path probably occurred between the two predictions.

2003.12.24 : (1271) Isergina / TYC 4677-00003-1                 BOL       PAR       trt           UBJ

2003.12.24 : (102) Miriam / TYC 1297-00025-1                    BOL       CNS       ESE        GCV      JNK                                                                                           PAR       trt           UBJ

PAR : videorecording.

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

            [mp 0.398" ± 0.018" NW of * at UT 21:11:08.6 ± 2.3 s  from 80 CCD images]

This observation gives same appulse time but an important shift toward N relative to the prediction, which gave minimum distance of  0.2" S for this location. This observed shift is in agreement with last predictions by E. FRAPPA (FRP).

2003.12.25 : (638) Moira / TYC 5260-00438-1                       BOL       PAH       PAR       trt

PAR : videorecording.

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

Events predicted by E. FRAPPA (FRP) and published on his web site EURASTER www.euraster.net :

2003.09.05 : (3318) Blixen / TYC 0055-00321-1                    BOL

2003.10.11 : (443) Photographica / 2UCAC 37840641         BOL

2003.11.04 : (37) Leukothea / 2UCAC 41661301                  BOL       PAR

PAR : videorecording.

2003.11.07 : (1236) Thais / TYC 1242-01141-1u                   PAR

PAR : videorecording. 

2003.12.08 : (3127) Bagration / TYC 1911-00008-1              OKE (with MSS)   OTA

OKE : videorecording.

2003.12.14 : (405) Thia /  TYC 5203-00084-1u                      trt

2003.12.15 : (413) Edburga / TYC 1388-01240-1u                trt

2003.12.25 : (443) Photographica / HIP 18467                      BOL       PAH       PAR       trt

PAR : videorecording.

2003.12.25 : (3971) Voronikhin / 2UCAC 40336954             BOL          trt

2003.12.27 : (3578) Carestia / 2UCAC 43926638                  PAH

Many interruptions due to clouds.

Others events :

2003.09.01 : (402) Chloe / TYC 5837-00702-1       

Only one positive :

Gradual D, instantaneous R. This positive observation reveals a significant shift of the shadow path toward NW relative to the prediction by PST: about one half path width,

since SUP was predicted to be just at its border, but observed an event with duration close to the maximal value (4.3 s).

2003.10.09 : (2958) Arpetito / HIP 10785                               MDT

2003.10.10 : (38) Leda / 2UCAC 23990136                            BOL

2003.10.13 : (4449) Sobinov / TYC 6331-00798                     MDT

2003.10.13 : (13441) 2098 P-L / TYC 0718-00247                 MDT

2003.10.16 : (29314) 1994 CR 18 / TAC +11.2188                MDT

2003.10.17 : (21586) 1998 SU 129 / HIP 113026                    MDT

2003.10.19 : (9175) Graun / TYC 1745-00666                       MDT

2003.10.20 : (24449) 2000 QL 63 / TYC 5400-02163             MDT

2003.10.20 : (105) Artemis / TAC -3.16271                            MDT

2003.10.23 : (1952) Hesburgh  / CMC 701925                       MDT

2003.11.17 : (4207) Chernova / TYC 1878-00338-1              MDT

2003.11.19 : (13568) 1992 WL 3 / TYC 0013-00317-1          MDT

2003.11.20 : (1797) Schaumasse / TYC 1870-00819-1           MDT

2003.12.11 : (5979) 1992 XF / TYC 1370-01020-1                 MDT

2003.12.12 : (4457) van Gogh / HIP 24757                             MDT

2003.12.25 : (357) Ninina / TYC 0732-01336-1                      CNS

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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 !

It is necessary to send a report even if there has been no occultation for your place (negative observation). These negative observations can sometimes be of as great interest as positive ones : they can be decisive to determine the shape (“shepherd observations”), refine the orbit of the asteroid or discover un unknown satellite ! Attention, there is no need to send a report if the weather conditions have prevented the event observation.

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

G. REGHEERE gillesregheere@yahoo.fr

13 bis rue de l’église

78890  GARANCIERES  -  France