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:

Occultation prediction for Frankfurt, Germany

E. Longitude    8 39  0.0,  Latitude  50  8 30.0,  Alt.    0m;  Telescope dia 15cm;  dMag 0.0
   Events excluded: Daytime,
   No messages for: Name, Doubles & K2 stars, Variables, Limb-nearby, Durations, Graze nearby

       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
20 Jan  9 17  0 29.3 D     976SM3  2.9  2.0v  99+ 166 -12 21  80  58N  56  99  52
20 Jan  9 17 53 26.4 R     976SM3  2.9  2.0v  99+ 167     30  89 -74N 285 329 281
20 Feb  6  2 19  5.2 D     946DM3  3.5  2.5V  86+ 137     20 281  60N  60  17  57
20 Feb  6  3  5 48.1 r     946DM3  3.5  2.5V  87+ 137     13 290 -55N 305 264 302
20 Mar 29 19 31 41.7 D     668SK0  3.5* 3.0   24+  59     33 261  79S  94  52 102
20 Mar 29 20 36 44.5 R     668SK0  3.5* 3.0   25+  59     22 274 -75S 248 205 255
20 Aug 25 19 36 11.8 R    2302SB0  2.6  2.7s  51+  91 -11 13 214 -81S 272 250 263
20 Oct 21 18 31 46.3 D    2672wK1  2.8* 2.3   31+  68      7 216  69N  67  43  72

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 2018 - 2023