is an independent part of the

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is an independent part of the International
Occultation Timing Association
IOTA-ES is an taxexempt organization under german
laws, with members in many european
countries. Its goals are the prediction,
observation and analysis of occultation
phenomena.
IOTA-ES ltltgtgt Fachgruppe Sternbedeckungen des VDS
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Occultation Phenomena

• Planets and satellites
• Planetary atmospheres of
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Titan
• Triton
• Titania
• Pluto and Charon

Sun Eclipses to improve the solar
diameter The moon Lunar limb
improvement Moonlimb Impacts of meteors on
the moon
Stars Diameters Limb darkening Astrometry Phot
ometry
Asteroids Shapes Astrometry Photometry
Venus transit is indeed a true occultation
phenomenon!
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Examples of the past.....
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Examples of today... An occultation by Titan with
flash...
Cederberg, SAR 12'' SCT with IOC Camera
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Technology (Hardware) Timing Improvement of the
visual timing New timing devices (DCF,
GPS..) Video time inserter Photometry Fast
photomultiplier system (Uniphos) Testing
commercial video systems Slow Scan 12 Bit CCD
camera (IOC)
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Technology (Software) Prediction EVANS to
PC GRAZEREG, WINOCCULT Prediction of Occultations
by Asteroids Local Circumstances Analysis Profile
s from lunar grazes Lunar limb correction Shape
of asteroids Reduction of image data
cubes Baum-Code approximation Ray-tracing
(PLATONA) Logistics How to organize an
expedition
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Real-Time Astronomy Movement of solar system
bodies Eclipses Occultations Cometary
movement Rotation of celestial bodies Mutual
events Meteor traces on the moon
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Education Observation training Lunar
occultations as training Talks and discussions
at public observatories and plantariums Expeditio
ns for motivation of observers
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What is important to motivate the
public? Compete against the WWW world Compete
against entertainment.com Compete against
advertisment.com Therefore We have to put
excitement in astronomy! Can we produce DVD's
such as... "Changes in the Universe" ???
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Representatives and members in many EU
countries Belgium Czech Republic Finland France
Germany Great Britain Italy Netherlands Poland Por
tugal Slovac Republic Spain (Switzerland)
Cooperation partners in the IOTA worldwide
Observations also in Namibia in cooperation with
the IAS, The International Amateur Obseratory,
Gamsberg-Hakos
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IOTA-ES can provide help for you in different
fields.... Organizing, planning Technical
support such as video, telescopes, timing devices
etc. The public as well as multiplicators can
get help for their activities. Just call in!
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Proliferation of Information www.iota-es.de
website Discussions at the Planoccult and
Moonoccult Mailing lists Contact
vt2004_at_iota-es.de
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What will we measure for the Venus Transit
2004 Trying to observe the atmosphere of Venus
in Absorption with a spectrograph Observing the
venus disk against the granules of the sun from
Europe and Namibia Trying to catch the glow of
Venus's atmosphere shortly before and after the
first and last contact. Look at www.iota-es.de
for more infos in the next weeks!