The International Occultation Timing Association

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Information Site for Lunar Occultations & Grazes

Last Updated 31 Dec 2024

WARNING! Information and e-mail addresses contained herein, are for scientific use only. By entering this site, you agree that you will use this data only for lawful purposes and that, under no circumstances will you use this data to: allow, enable, or otherwise support the transmission of mass unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations via direct mail, electronic mail, or by telephone.

MISSION STATEMENT

We encourage, promote and facilitate the observation of occultations and eclipses
We provide predictions for grazing occultations of stars by the Moon
and predictions for occultations of stars by asteroids and planets
We also provide information on observing equipment and techniques,
and we report to our members about observations made

IOTA GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

To promote scientific research and discovery using occultation related methods
To conduct research at the local, regional and international level
and to publish results of studies in popular and scientific journals
To stimulate public awareness of astronomical phenomena such as (but not limited to) solar and lunar eclipses and occultations of stars by minor planets, the Moon, and other solar system bodies
To improve lunar profile data through timing of grazing and total occultations
To determine shapes and sizes of minor planets and comets through timing of occultations of stars by these objects
To discover evidence of new, and confirm characteristics of previously discovered, satellites/companions of minor planets

The Value of Lunar Occultation Timings and Observations (D Dunham, D Herald, M Soma)

The Value of Graze Occultation Timings and Observations (Mitsuru Soma - YouTube Video)

Worldwide Upcoming Bright Star Occultation Events

Observers are encouraged to download the Occult software
to generate predictions for their areas, of fainter occultations

Check "Regional Information on Events" below for more information on occultation/graze events for local circumstances

How to read the country codes and prediction format

18 Dec - Occultation of Mars - -0.9 - ne Canada, Greenland
22 Dec - Occultation of β Vir - 3.6m - Hawaii
24 Dec - Occultation of α Vir - 1.0m - se Asia
28 Dec - Occultation of α Sco - 1.1m - s South America
03 Jan - Occultation of δ Cap - 2.9m - se Australia, New Zealand
04 Jan - Occultation of Saturn - 1.1m - Europe
09 Jan - Occultation of η Tau - 2.9m - USA, w Europe
10 Jan - Occultation of 17 Tau - 3.7m - se USA, Central America, Caribbean, sw Europe, w Africa
10 Jan - Occultation of 20 Tau - 3.9m - se USA, Central America, Caribbean, w Africa
10 Jan - Occultation of 27 Tau - 3.6m - USA, Canada, w Europe
11 Jan - Occultation of β Tau - 1.7m - s India, Indonesia, n central Australia
14 Jan - Occultation of Mars - -1.4m - USA, Mexico, se Cananda, w Africa
18 Jan - Occultation of β Vir -- 3.6m - southern Africa, Madagascar
21 Jan - Occultation of α Vir - 1.0m - w Africa, southern Africa
24 Jan - Occultation of α Sco - 1.1m - s Australia, New Zealand
01 Feb - Occultation of Saturn - 1.1m - e Asia

2025 Predictions

Concerning 2025 IOTA Predictions Must Read(pdf format)
Lunar total occultation material from the 2025 RASC Observer’s Handbook
Zip file of total occultations in the RASC Handbook
2025 Worldwide Total Occultations of Bright Stars
2025 Occultation of Planets by the Moon
2025 Total Occultations of Bright Stars for 40 North American Cities
2024 North America Graze Tables and Maps - D. Dunham
Eclipse Maps and Weather

Asteroid Occultation Information

Steve Preston's World Wide Prediction Site
Derek Breit's Regional Asteroid Path Maps for USA
North American Asteroidal Reference Homepage
Asteroidal Occultation Results for North America
Worldwide Results Home Page
Report Form For Asteroid Observations
Japanese Astroidal Prediction Site (Japanese)
Japanese Astroidal Results (English)

Lunar Impacts and IOTA

NASA/Marshall main lunar impacts Web site
B. Cudnik's ALPO lunar meteor impacts Web site
D. Dunham's Impact Page (historical, 1999 & 2001, & earlier efforts)

Helpful Information

I.O.T.A.'s Primary Site
I.O.T.A. Membership Application
IOTAoccultations@groups.io - Discussion Maillist
"Chasing the Shadow: The IOTA Occultation Observer's Manual
The Occultation Observer's Handbook by Robinson & Povenmire
NWS Current Weather & Forecasts
Time Conversion Tables - UTC to Local for USA
World Time Zone Map
IOTA Annual Meeting Minutes

Occultation Software and Related Information

Occult Prediction Software
Tips for using Occult by David Dunham (pdf file)

Occult 4 input file - Worldwide occultations of stars by major planets and their satellites, and stars to mag. 10.5 by asteroids
(Note: right click on link to do a save as to your computer. Then import into Occult 4)

Occult 4 input file - North America for occultations of stars by major planets and their satellites, and stars to mag. 12.0 by asteroids
(Note: right click on link to do a save as to your computer. Then import into Occult 4)

Dr. Eberhard Riedel's GRAZPREP software and documentation

Lunar Report Generator
Occult/IOTA Groups.io - Discussion Maillist
How to Use Occult 4 to Predict Comet Occultations
The ZC Star Catalog (not to be interfaced with Occult)
Expanded Site Files (updated file on 06 Jul 2024)

OccultWatcher Software

Basics of Total Occultations

Basic Information and How to Obtain Predictions
How to Report Observations
The Prediction Format for Total Occultations - [pdf format]
Timing & Location Accuracies for Observations

Basics of Grazing Occultations

The Grazing Occultation
North American city coordinates
Archive of Observed Graze Profile Reductions

Regional Information on Events - (external links)

Mid-Atlantic Occultations - D. Dunham
Kansas-Missouri Area - R. Sandy
Upper Midwest- MN, IA, ND, SD and WI
San Francisco Bay Area - D. Breit
Arizona and Surrounding Area - D. Dunham
Central America/South America (in Spanish)
Brazil by Breno Loureiro Giacchini (in Portuguese)

If you have a local URL for your area, send information to the webmaster for inclusion

Use of Video on Timing Events

A Light Weight Portable Video Setup - by R. Nugent
Richard Nugent's System - by D. Dunham
Tom Heisey's Video Setup (PDF)
"Millisecond Video Timing for the Masses" by S. Herchak
Finding Limiting Mag for Visual/Video Camera Observations

KIWI-OSD and IOTA-VTI Time Inserters

LiMovie measurement tool for video occultations (the most stable version)

Miscellaneous Stuff
I.O.T.A. Tax Information/Expense Report [pdf format]
Additional Reference Reading Material

astronomylinks.com
astronomy and space links, shortcuts, favorites and bookmarks.

This site maintained for IOTA by Rob Robinson, Bonner Springs KS
Send comments and mail to Webmaster
Send comments and mail to I.O.T.A. President, Steve Preston
IOTA Administration, email I.O.T.A.

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