123 observations have been performed during 2005, November and December ( 18 positive or possibly positive) about  62 events ( 9 positive or  possibly positive) by  69 observers, from the 12  following countries (and numbers of observers) :

BE = Belgium ( 5 ), CH = Switzerland  ( 3 ), CZ = Czech Republic ( 3  ), DE = Germany (10 ), ES = Spain ( 6 ), FR = France ( 23 ), IT = Italy (2 ), NL = The Netherlands ( 3 ), PL = Poland (1), PT = Portugal (1),  SK = Slovakia ( 2 ), 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.

2005 (November and December) Observations

Observations are usually visual and negative, excepted when otherwise specified. All times are in UTC.

2005.11.01 : (67) Asia / 2UCAC 36051757                    FIM        GRS       HRU      SPU

and one possibly positive :

GRS was in the S. Preston’ updated predicted path.

WKL : possible blink at the predicted time; if related with (67) Asia, this observation should imply either a wide shift of the asteroid  (at least 5 path widths) or the presence of a secondary body.

2005.11.02 : (1755) Lorbach / HIP 92370       PCI

PCI : CCD drift-scan

2005.11.05 : (3) Juno / TYC 0114-01163-1     CHR with MID

CHR :  CCD drift-scan.   It is a peculiar event as Juno (mag 7.9) is brighter than the star (mag 11.7).  CHR was situated at the eastern predicted path border. The recording shows only strong fluctuation during about 6 sec at the predicted event time. Therefore no definite conclusion can be drawn.

2005.11.08 : (5485) Kaula  / TYC 0027-00395-1      RTH

RTH : videorecording

2005.11.08 : (1032) Pafuri / HIP 48303       HRU      PAW with P. De CAT 

PAW: CCD drift-scan

2005.11.10 : (71) Niobe / TYC 0836-01199-1             THO

and one positive :

THO : three events (1) 05:39:58:44  to  05:40:07.15, (2)  05:41:43.38 to 05:41:53.2,  (3)  05:42:09.3  to 05:42:35.4, probably due to clouds, the third including the predicted appulse time.

DNZ : videorecording; DNZ was nearly on the centreline, since he observed an event with a duration close to the max predicted value (3.7 s.); the path has been shifted by 1.5 time its width, toward N-E.

2005.11.11 :  (5749) 1991FV / 2UCAC 36467374         PCI

PCI : CCD drift scan;  very short light drop (0.8-0.9 s approx) has been recorded between 02:22:01.00 – 02:22:01.09 whose nature still remains  unclear (noise or true secondary occultation?)

2005.11.18 :   (128) Nemesis / TYC 1412-00199-1     

Two positive observations, one of them from Canada  :

JLX : Blink at  06:14:36.2  ±0.3 s.

Both observers were predicted to be close to the centreline, what effectively occurred, since they observed an event with a duration close to the max predicted value (11.8 s, corresponding to the assumed 188 km diameter for (128) Nemesis )

2005.11.19 : (1994) Shane / TYC 1218-00868-1          CQU      DPY with V. WISNIEWSKI      FRP       GRS    HAL                              LCP        MAA      MBU      SAU       SMD      SPS        TCH

DPY, SPS : CCD drift-scan; FRP, SMD : videorecording

CQU : blink at 23:11:13.3; TCH : possible short blink at 23:12:08.3 (No PE taken into account). Both events occurred several minutes before the expected appulse time, so they are probably not related to the (1994) Shane event.

FRP and GRS were both in the S. Preston updated predicted path. There must have been a significant shift of the shadow path, but the lack of positive observation lets its position remaining unknown.

2005.11.28 : (210)  Isabella / HIP 22711                   RYF

2005.11.29 : (1999) Hirayama / HIP 50501               CNS

CNS : videorecording

2005.12.01 : (1247) Memoria / 2UCAC 36230768     HRU      JLX        RTH       trt

and one positive :

DNZ : videorecording; his positive observation shows a path shifted by three times its width, toward NW

2005.12.02 : (405) Thia / HIP 37521  (NZ Gem)           JNK

JNK : videorecording

2005.12.07 : (2222) Lermontov / 2UCAC 39657553                   SPS        trt

SPS : CCD drift-scan

2005.12.09 : (1113) Katja / TYC 5233-01086-1          DNZ

DNZ : videorecording

2005.12.09 : (723) Hammonia / HIP 39809  BTG       trt

2005.12.10 : (4054) Turnov / TYC 1945-00865-1         JGS        trt

JGS : videorecording

2005.12.11 : (1833) Shmakova / TYC 0257-00720-1    DMK

2005.12.11 : (524) Fidelio / TYC 2380-00914-1             BCL       PSY

and three positive :

CNS : videorecording; GCV, PSY  : CCD drift scan; MJL : no PE taken into account

The positive observations and the negative BCL one (who was in the predicted path, close to its northern border) show the real path has been slightly shifted toward South, and/or  the shape of (524) Fidelio is irregular.

2005.12.12 : (121) Hermione  / TYC 4974-01069-1     COF       EBA       GRS       LAQ       MUM                                                                             STP        SUB

and seven positive :

ACH : with  A. Moraghan, in double station with FLJ; EEA was with L. Poorman

EBA: CCD drift-scan; ELL, STP, SUB : drift scan;  FAR (with G. Woysch), KWK (with H. Bauer) : videorecording, both in double station; JVA : possible 0.15 s  flash,  4.35 s after D

Despite scattering, positive observations can be fitted with an elliptical profile with main axis about 200 X 220 km.

Hermione has a satellite called S/2002 (121) 1 La Fayette.  Its predicted track run mainly over south of France. No occultation has been observed in relation with this small body (30 km).

2005.12.12 : (3274) Maillen  / TYC 1852-01760-1                       VIJ with GJD

2005.12.12 : (2372) Proskurin / 2UCAC  39828784                    DNZ

DNZ : videorecording

2005.12.17 : (294) Felicia / TYC 4962-00486-1                            PSY        trt

PSY : CCD drift scan

The TAROT observatory was in the predicted path. This negative observation shows the real path has been shifted but the lack of positive observation lets its real position remaining unknown.

2005.12.18 : (3311) Podobed  / 2UCAC  39642472  

Only one positive :

DNZ : videorecording

2005.12.19 : (397) Vienna / TYC 0634-00772-1       BLM      BOL       DMK      JGS        JPR

                                                                           RWD      SMI        SPS        THO       VNB      WKL

BOL : partial, due to clouds; SPS : CDD drift scan

Unfortunately, there was no station in the predicted path.

2005.12.22 : (684) Hildburg / TYC 2438-01021-1       BOL

2005.12.23 : (389) Industria / TYC 5228-00818-1     BCL       FAU       MJL

and one positive :

MBU and JSZ  observed an event with duration  in agreement with their position in the predicted path and  the max predicted duration ( 2.6 s). MJL was close to the southern border of the predicted path.

2005.12.26 : (4298) 1941WA / TYC 1879-00055-1     DNZ

DNZ : videorecording

2005.12.26 : (1101) Clematis / HIP 32338                  BCL       BRD

2005.12.27 : (661) Cloelia / TYC 0610-01401-1         EBA

EBA was in the predicted path; his negative observation shows the real one has been shifted but the lack of positive observation lets it remaining unknown.

2005.12.27 : (134) Sophrosyne / TYC 2949-00549-1   

Only one positive observation :

ELL : videorecording

ELL was close to the northern border of the predicted path but observed an event with long duration (nearly half of the max predicted one : 12.6 s). Due to the lack of any other

observation, no conclusion can be drawn.  Note that the shape of  (134) Sophrosyne is not circular  (what is shown by the reduction of the 1980/11/24 event registered in the

Winoccult[1] database ). Besides, the event occurred nearly 15 s sooner than the predicted appulse time.

2005.12.31 : (20000) Varuna / 2UCAC 40675770    JDO        JLX with  COF         FBG       KID

20000 Varuna is a Trans Neptunian Object. Assuming a 900 km diameter, the probability of positive occultation deduced from the last update by Steve Preston, varies in Europe, from  13.5 % for Gibraltar (on the centre line) to 11.0 % for Bergen  (Norway); in America, probability is lower (Chicago : 10.4 %, Los Angeles : 7.1% ). With a 1200 km diameter, the probabilities are enhanced by a factor close to 4/3.

The star is very faint : R ~ 15.1, so large telescopes or long integrations were required. A 40 ±5 sec duration was expected.

M. Vasseur  observing from Canada registered a one minute long event  between 06:18 and 06:19 UTC from his location (N 45 28 50.2  W 75 42 09). Due to the lack of any other observation, no conclusion can be drawn. 

FBG : CCD imaging,  no occultation longer than 10 s;  JLX, videorecording :  no occultation longer than 4 s

The 30 following events have been observed by TAROT only – all with negative results :

2005/11/08 : ( 9601 ) 1991 UE3 : ( TYC 1877-00600-1         2005/11/15 : ( 9306 ) Pittosporum / 2UCAC 39311854

2005/11/17 : ( 3961 ) Arthurcox / TYC 1750-00204-1           2005/11/18 : ( 12662 ) 1978 CK / TYC 2466-01419-1

2005/11/20 : ( 605 ) Juvisia / TYC 3398-02431-1                   2005/11/21 : ( 12561 ) Howard / TYC 1880-00073-1

2005/11/23 : ( 1368 ) Numidia / 2UCAC 46280551               2005/11/23 : ( 11 )  Parthenope / TYC 1300-00570-1

2005/11/23 : ( 1490 ) Limpopo / HIP 113977                          2005/11/26 : ( 565 ) Marbachia / TYC 5203-01230-1

2005/11/28 : ( 4119 ) Miles / TYC 6404-00623-1                    2005/11/28 : ( 1401 ) Lavonne / TYC 1860-00090-1

2005/11/30 : ( 3980 ) Hviezdoslav / TYC 1279-01228-1       2005/11/30 : ( 1407 ) Lindelof / 2UCAC 40813639

2005/12/01 : ( 5883 ) 1993 VM5 / TYC 2936-00839-1          2005/12/03 : ( 4452 ) Ullacharles / TYC 1168-01570-1

2005/12/03 : ( 1235 ) Schorria / TYC 4032-00950-1              2005/12/03 : ( 2163 ) Korczak / 2UCAC 39453323

2005/12/04 : ( 35347 ) 1997 JN12 / 2UCAC 42919904         2005/12/04 : ( 5021 ) Krylania / HIP 36307

2005/12/06 : ( 552 ) Sigelinde / TYC 1863-00525-1                2005/12/07 : ( 1420 ) Radcliffe / TYC 1383-00535-1

2005/12/07 : ( 3193 ) Elliot / TYC 2408-01654-1                    2005/12/08 : ( 7494 ) Xiwanggongchen / 2UCAC 41330288

2005/12/10 : ( 2436 ) Hatshepsut / TYC 0585-00735-1         2005/12/16 : ( 10837 ) 1994 EJ1 / TYC 5308-01320-1

2005/12/18 : ( 913 ) Otila / TYC 1896-00312-1                       2005/12/21 : ( 4402 ) Tsunemori / 2UCAC 35560592

2005/12/21 : ( 1368 ) Numidia / TYC 3392-00950-1              2005/12/21 : (1889)  Pakhmutova / TYC 2488-01116-1

It is necessary to send a report even if there has been no occultation from your place (negative observation). These negative observations can sometimes be of as great interest as positive ones : they can be decisive to determine the exact position of the shadow path (see for instance in this info,  the case of BCL and (524) Fidelio, during the 2005/12/11 event).  

Please DON’T FORGET to use the IAU format YYYYMMDD for the date of your reports.   When one finds a report with date 04/01/06 , must he have to compute a prediction for the six possible dates before finding the correct one ? Thanks for him. 

Clear skies for all.

G. REGHEERE gillesregheere@yahoo.fr

96 rue de Mercantour

78310  Maurepas    -   FRANCE

[1] WINOCCULT is a software developed by D. HERALD, dedicated amongst others, to prediction of asteroidal occultation and reduction of observations.