1. Grazing Occultations, David Dunham IOTA Annual Meeting 2018 April 20, Suffern, NY Covering since the last IOTA meeting in 2017 September to the end of 2018

2. Lunar Grazing Occultation, mag. 7. 6 ZC 2949 2017 Nov
Lunar Grazing Occultation, mag. 7.6 ZC Nov. 23, 8:40pm, Moon 25%+, Cusp Ang. 3S, alt. 6 Only one observed that I know of, at Krimgold Park, Woodbine, MD
This was Thanksgiving evening,
so only Joan and I observed it

3. The Predicted Lunar Profile
The sky was clear, but it was windy and cold

5. Our 10 contacts (5 D’s and 5 R’s) fit the LRO LOLA profile well

6. Grazing Occultation of Aldebaran 2018 March 22, 30% sunlit waxing

7. Grazing Occultation of Aldebaran 2018 March 22
The path
passed over
the town of
Nain,
Labrador
popula-tion
1424 & an
airport.
CA 4N, alt. 39, Sun alt. -10

8. Grazing Occultation of mag. 7
Grazing Occultation of mag. 7.3 SAO April 19, 9:35pm, 19% sunlit waxing, cusp angle 1 south
On way to NEAF!
The “best” graze zone, just south of the
I-295 first exit east of the Delaware
Memorial Bridge; it was also visible from
Cleveland, OH and Carlisle, PA

9. 2018 Lunar Grazing Occultations, April 22 - July 31
Aldebaran, July 10

10. The Last Aldebaran Graze (until 2033)
2018 July 10 UT, the s. limit starts at moonrise in n.e. Iowa, then crosses s. Wisc., n. Mich., and s. Ont., where twilight becomes strong. The graze will occur right at the thin southern cusp of the only 11% sunlit waning Moon. (Last of this series for us) 
Alt.
12
Sun
-8 
Alt. 7
Sun
-12 
Alt. 5

11. 2018 July 10 Aldebaran Graze Mackinaw City region & s.e. ON

12. 2018 July 10 Aldebaran Graze Predicted Profile

13. Other Grazes in 2018
The 2017 February 18th graze of 3.9-mag.  Librae shows that you don’t need a 1st-mag. star to observe an interesting grazing occultation. A 6th or 7th-mag. star when the lunar profile lines up right can give an interesting show, that’s useful to resolve (discover, or cast into doubt a past claim) close double stars. The map below is just one of 6 that are in the RASC Observer’s Handbook for 2018, and are posted on IOTA’s site at The paths can be computed with Occult 4, and were sent in the annual files to IOTA members.
July 10 ZC 677
Aldebaran July 10
Rest of 2018 best grazes
May 18 chi2 Ori
May Ori
May Ori
May 10 psi1 Aqr
July 8 mu Cet