講演情報
[PPS01-12]Uranus Stellar Occultation Observation Campaign Updates from the 2024-11-12 and 2025-04-08 Events
*佐柳 邦男1、Saunders William1,2、Blake Geoffrey3、Chanover Nancy4、Dahl Emma3、French Richard5、Guidry Joseph6、Levine Stephen7、Person Michael8、Souami Damya9、Verbiscer Anne10、Young Leslie11、Irawati Puji12、Poshyachinda Saran12、Awiphan Supachai12、Rattanasoon Somsawat12、Tasuya Orarik12、髙木 聖子13、天田 耕太郎13、佐川 英夫14、木村 淳15、Carrion-Gonzalez Oscar9、Coustenis Athena9、Lellouch Emmanuel9、Rolland Lyam9、Sicardy Bruno9、Croom Mark4、Schmidt Luke16、Oelkers Ryan17、DePoy Darren18、Hubbard William 19、McLeod Brian20、Morgenthaler Jeffrey21、McCarthy Donald19、Kulesa Craig19、Jackson Brian22、Stubbers Hailey22、Dull James24、Anderson Chris23 (1.NASA Langley Research Center、2.Analytical Mechanics Associates、3.California Institute of Technology、4.New Mexico State University / Apache Point Observatory、5.Space Science Institute、6.Boston University、7.Lowell Observatory、8.Massachusetts Institute of Technology、9.Observatoire de Paris - PSL、10.University of Virginia、11.Southwest Research Institute、12.Thailand National Observatory / National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand、13.北海道大学、14.京都産業大学、15.大阪大学、16.Yerkes Observatory、17.University of Texas Rio Grande Valley、18.Texas A&M University、19.University of Arizona、20.Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian、21.Planetary Science Institute、22.Boise State University、23.College of Southern Idaho、24.College of Idaho)
キーワード：
天王星、恒星食、惑星大気、環
We report updates from two multi-observatory campaigns to observe Uranus stellar occultations. Observing stellar occultation events by Uranus addresses multiple scientific objectives including (1) characterization of the middle-upper atmosphere; (2) characterization of the ring structure; (3) improvement of the planet’s ephemeris; and (4) detection of small moons and inner rings that may pose hazard during an orbit insertion maneuver by a future mission. In particular, these observations will support the preparation for NASA’s upcoming Uranus Orbiter and Probe (UOP) mission, which is the highest-priority new Flagship mission recommended by the recent US Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey.
The objective of our international multi-observatory campaigns is to coordinate observations of upcoming stellar occultation events that may be visible from different parts of Earth and potentially from airborne/space telescopes. Uranus occults stars more frequently when the planet crosses the galactic plane, which last happened in the 1980s-90s, and allowed observations of numerous events between 1977-1996 that improved characterization of the planet’s middle/upper atmosphere, ring structure and ephemeris. Uranus will again cross the galactic plane in the early 2030s, which offers multiple opportunities to make measurements in the 2020s and 2030s that are key to preparing for the UOP mission to arrive around 2050.
Here, we report progress on analyzing the occultation events on 2024-11-12 and 2025-04-08. In particular, the 2025-04-08 event is expected to be one of the four occultations by Uranus that promise best-quality data until at least the 2050s. The 2024-11-12 event was observed by two observatories in Japan (北海道大学大学院理学研究院附属天文台 and 京都産業大学神山天文台) and another in Thailand (Thai National Observatory, National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand). For the 2025-04-08 event, we plan to use at least 10 observatories in the western United States between Texas and Hawaii. We will conclude with an overview of future occultation events, and a call to join our observation campaigns for upcoming occultations.
The objective of our international multi-observatory campaigns is to coordinate observations of upcoming stellar occultation events that may be visible from different parts of Earth and potentially from airborne/space telescopes. Uranus occults stars more frequently when the planet crosses the galactic plane, which last happened in the 1980s-90s, and allowed observations of numerous events between 1977-1996 that improved characterization of the planet’s middle/upper atmosphere, ring structure and ephemeris. Uranus will again cross the galactic plane in the early 2030s, which offers multiple opportunities to make measurements in the 2020s and 2030s that are key to preparing for the UOP mission to arrive around 2050.
Here, we report progress on analyzing the occultation events on 2024-11-12 and 2025-04-08. In particular, the 2025-04-08 event is expected to be one of the four occultations by Uranus that promise best-quality data until at least the 2050s. The 2024-11-12 event was observed by two observatories in Japan (北海道大学大学院理学研究院附属天文台 and 京都産業大学神山天文台) and another in Thailand (Thai National Observatory, National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand). For the 2025-04-08 event, we plan to use at least 10 observatories in the western United States between Texas and Hawaii. We will conclude with an overview of future occultation events, and a call to join our observation campaigns for upcoming occultations.