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

Equipment Used CBC Moore Observatory CBC Moore Observatory Meade 16-inch LX200GPS telescope on Paramount ME mounting Meade 16-inch LX200GPS telescope on Paramount ME mounting Meade DSI CCD Camera Meade DSI CCD Camera CCD Soft V5 for data reduction CCD Soft V5 for data reduction Excel for data reduction Excel for data reduction After the fact, Occular the new program being described tomorrow was also used for data reduction verification After the fact, Occular the new program being described tomorrow was also used for data reduction verification

Predicted Best Case Predicted Worst Case Our chances of seeing the event were very slim…

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

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

Event Observation Data Because of the predicted short duration of our event, we started early and recorded data much longer than we expected we needed to Started observing at 10:46:31 UT Started observing at 10:46:31 UT (2:46 AM PST!) Ended observing at 10:57:13 UT Ended observing at 10:57:13 UT Obtained a total of 129 images Obtained a total of 129 images Average time between images was 4.98 seconds Average time between images was 4.98 seconds Total duration was 642 seconds! Total duration was 642 seconds!

This is what we saw… …we saw the start of the event but didnt record long enough to see the end of the event…

Actual event data FWHM disappearance was at 10:52: FWHM disappearance was at 10:52: Disappearance transitioned over 7 readings, or, seconds Disappearance transitioned over 7 readings, or, seconds Begin D was at 10:52:02.17 UT Begin D was at 10:52:02.17 UT End D was at 10:52:37.03 UT End 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 Sicardy

We had a VERY Successful Event (and all the major observatories got skunked…. )

Acknowledgments Michael Garvin and Phil Holt with the Tri-City Astronomy Club helped me practice with the DSI Video camera, as I had never tried to do photometry with a CCD still camera before Michael Garvin and Phil Holt with the Tri-City Astronomy Club helped me practice with the DSI Video camera, as I had never tried to do photometry with a CCD still camera before Michael Richmond graciously agreed to analyze my photometric data to extract the light curve Michael Richmond graciously agreed to analyze my photometric data to extract the light curve Bruno Sicardy provided predictions and post data processing support Bruno Sicardy provided predictions and post data processing support David Dunham relayed the message that prompted me to attempt the event despite the odds against seeing it David Dunham relayed the message that prompted me to attempt the event despite the odds against seeing it