Pluto Occultation March 18, 2007 As seen from the Robert and Elisabeth Moore Observatory Columbia Basin College, Pasco, WA.

Pluto Occultation Pluto Occultation March 18, 2007March 18, 2007

As seen from the Robert and Elisabeth As seen from the Robert and Elisabeth Moore ObservatoryMoore Observatory

Columbia Basin College, Pasco, WAColumbia Basin College, Pasco, WA

Equipment UsedEquipment Used

CBC Moore ObservatoryCBC Moore Observatory Meade 16-inch LX200GPS telescope on Meade 16-inch LX200GPS telescope on

Paramount ME mountingParamount ME mounting Meade DSI CCD CameraMeade DSI CCD Camera CCD Soft V5 for data reductionCCD Soft V5 for data reduction Excel for data reductionExcel for data reduction

After the fact, Occular the new program being After the fact, Occular the new program being described tomorrow was also used for data described tomorrow was also used for data reduction verificationreduction verification

Predicted Best CasePredicted Best Case

Predicted Worst CasePredicted Worst Case

Our chances of Our chances of seeing the seeing the event were event were very slim…very slim…

Our altitude at the time of the event Our altitude at the time of the event was a scant 12 degrees!was a scant 12 degrees!

Our predicted light curve was very small and very short (<200 sec)

Event Observation DataEvent Observation Data

Because of the predicted short duration of our Because of the predicted short duration of our event, we started early and recorded data much event, we started early and recorded data much longer than we expected we needed tolonger than we expected we needed to

Started observing at 10:46:31 UTStarted observing at 10:46:31 UT(2:46 AM PST!)(2:46 AM PST!)

Ended observing at 10:57:13 UTEnded observing at 10:57:13 UT Obtained a total of 129 imagesObtained a total of 129 images Average time between images was 4.98 Average time between images was 4.98

secondsseconds Total duration was 642 seconds!Total duration was 642 seconds!

This is what we saw…This is what we saw…

……we saw the start of the event we saw the start of the event but didn’t record long enough to but didn’t record long enough to

see the end of the event…see the end of the event…

Actual event dataActual event data

FWHM disappearance was at FWHM disappearance was at 10:52:19.60010:52:19.600

Disappearance transitioned over 7 Disappearance transitioned over 7 readings, or, 34.86 secondsreadings, or, 34.86 seconds

Begin D was at 10:52:02.17 UTBegin D was at 10:52:02.17 UTEnd D was at 10:52:37.03 UTEnd D was at 10:52:37.03 UT

This was our actual simulated light curve lasting +/- 400 seconds

Here is the final plot of our data by Bruno SicardyHere is the final plot of our data by Bruno Sicardy

We had a VERY Successful We had a VERY Successful EventEvent

(and all the major observatories (and all the major observatories got skunked…. got skunked…. ))

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments Michael Garvin and Phil Holt with the Tri-City Michael Garvin and Phil Holt with the Tri-City

Astronomy Club helped me practice with the DSI Astronomy Club helped me practice with the DSI Video camera, as I had never tried to do Video camera, as I had never tried to do photometry with a CCD still camera beforephotometry with a CCD still camera before

Michael Richmond graciously agreed to analyze Michael Richmond graciously agreed to analyze my photometric data to extract the light curvemy photometric data to extract the light curve

Bruno Sicardy provided predictions and post Bruno Sicardy provided predictions and post data processing supportdata processing support

David Dunham relayed the email message that David Dunham relayed the email message that prompted me to attempt the event despite the prompted me to attempt the event despite the odds against seeing itodds against seeing it