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Lunar Occultations

Total or grazing lunar occultations are among the events with the longest tradition in occultation astronomy.

For total lunar occultations as well as for grazing lunar occultations, the precise knowledge of the lunar limb is an absolute prerequisite. The MOONLIMB program does provide such precise data. An overview is given here.

Grazing Occultations of stars by the moon are local events and thus require an individual selection according to personal observation preferences. The GRAZPREP-software assists in all aspects of finding individually interesting events as well as selecting the best observing stations promising the most contacts between the star and the lunar limb in high resolution. If you are interested in these fascinating events, have a look here.

Members of IOTA get for their own observing stations predictions of lunar occultations, either total or grazing ones, specially calculated for their observatory and/or travel radius in case of mobile stations. Some bright total lunar occultations, as can be seen from a point in central Europe (Frankfurt a.M.) are given as follows for the year 2023:


E. Longitude    8 39  0.0,  Latitude  50  8 30.0,  Alt.    0m;  Telescope dia 15cm;  dMag 0.0
  
       day  Time     P   Star  Sp  Mag  Mag    % Elon Sun  Moon   CA   PA  VA  AA
 y   m  d  h  m   s       No  D     v    r V  ill     Alt Alt Az   o    o   o   o
23 Jan  1 23  0 39   M Uranus      5.7  5.7   78+ 124     36 250   6S 157 118 173
23 Apr 10  3 51 29.9 R    2349SB1  2.9     v  83- 132  -9 13 198  60S 252 240 244
23 Dec  7  1 47 18.0 R    1772cA2  3.9  3.9s  32-  69      9 103  67N 317 356 295

Explanations you find here.

Occultations of Planets by the Moon

The Moon regularly occults inner and outer planets. These occultations have no scientific value but show the dynamics of our Solar system impressively.

Upcoming Occultations in Europe in 2022 - 2027