Good camcorder occultation near sundown TODAY Below are predictions for many eastern cities for the spectacular occultation of the 4.4-mag. red giant star phi Aquarii by the thin 10% sunlit waxing crescent Moon that will be visible best from the northeastern U.S.A. and eastern Canada just after (and in some places, just before) sunset today - not very many hours from now (sorry for not distributing this sooner). Also, to save time, I am using the NEAR swingby observation distribution list, so I APOLOGIZE to those on that list outside of the region of visibility of the phi Aquarii event, to a few people on that list who asked to be removed from my distribution, and to artificial satellite observers who might not be as interested in our natural satellite. The predictions below are limited to those where the Sun will be about 3 deg. above the horizon or less. The list including Sun and Moon altitudes is too large; it will be placed on the NEAR Web site, http://sd-www.jhuapl.edu/NEAR/ESB by about 2 pm EST today. That list includes predictions for western cities as well, but the daytime event there will be very difficult to see. Also on the Web site will be predictions for over 200 IOTA stations across North America, with the times in U.T. rather than local time. Anyone with a camcorder of about 12x or greater, clear skies (it is supposed to clear up at least in the Mid-Atlantic states), and a Sun altitude of less than about -8 deg. (that line will be approximately from Rochester, NY to Baltimore, MD to Norfolk, VA) should be able to record the occultation disappearance directly, and under those conditions it should also be visible to the naked eye (if you have good eyesight; binoculars will give a better view). If you have a telescope, point the camcorder into the scope's eyepiece and you should be able to record the occultation probably for Sun altitudes of about -1 deg. or less (finding the Moon may be a little difficult at Sun alt. -1 deg.). Telescopic observers can also record the reappearance, if you can locate the point of emersion. If you don't have WWV, tape CNN Headline News before and after the event; we will make a master tape for it. Location Disappears CA Reappears CA zone h m s o h m s o Akron OH 5:58:00 pm 84N 7:02:48 pm -88N EST Albany NY 6:04:16 pm 86N 7:05:55 pm -89N EST Allentown PA 6:03:47 pm 89S 7:06:18 pm -86S EST Altoona PA 6:01:08 pm 89N 7:04:55 pm -87S EST AnnArbor MI 5:55:43 pm 78N 7:00:28 pm -83N EST Asheville NC 5:58:49 pm 80S 7:03:29 pm -74S EST Ashland KY 5:57:25 pm 89S 7:03:10 pm -84S EST Atlanta GA 5:57:24 pm 76S 7:01:56 pm -70S EST AtlanticCity NJ 6:05:25 pm 84S 7:07:11 pm -81S EST Augusta GA 6:01:05 pm 72S 7:03:07 pm -66S EST Baltimore MD 6:03:28 pm 86S 7:06:15 pm -82S EST Baton Rouge LA 5:55:08 pm -65S CST Battle Creek MI 5:54:20 pm 76N 6:59:19 pm -82N EST Bay City MI 5:55:39 pm 74N 6:59:14 pm -79N EST Beaumont TX 5:52:22 pm -67S CST Belleville ON 6:01:02 pm 79N 7:03:00 pm -82N EST Bethlehem PA 6:03:51 pm 89S 7:06:20 pm -86S EST Biloxi MS 5:56:48 pm -62S CST Binghamton NY 6:02:47 pm 86N 7:05:18 pm -89N EST Birmingham AL 6:00:12 pm -71S CST Bloomington IL 5:57:22 pm -84N CST Boston MA 6:06:22 pm 90N 7:07:07 pm -89S EST BowlingGreen KY 4:53:10 pm 89S 6:00:48 pm -82S CST Brandon MB 5:30:33 pm -40N CST Brantford ON 5:58:51 pm 79N 7:02:11 pm -83N EST Brattleboro VT 6:05:04 pm 87N 7:06:16 pm -89N EST Bridgeport CT 6:05:24 pm 88S 7:06:58 pm -86S EST Brockton MA 6:06:33 pm 90S 7:07:17 pm -88S EST Buffalo NY 6:00:05 pm 81N 7:03:15 pm -85N EST Burlington ON 5:59:14 pm 79N 7:02:19 pm -83N EST Burlington VT 6:03:59 pm 81N 7:04:47 pm -83N EST Cambridge MA 6:06:19 pm 90N 7:07:05 pm -89S EST Camden NJ 6:04:29 pm 86S 7:06:42 pm -83S EST Canton OH 5:58:12 pm 85N 7:03:01 pm -90N EST Cedar Rapids IA 5:53:38 pm -77N CST CentralIslip NY 6:05:38 pm 87S 7:07:09 pm -85S EST Champaign IL 4:50:53 pm 80N 5:58:15 pm -86N CST Charleston SC 6:04:30 pm 67S 7:03:39 pm -62S EST Charleston WV 5:58:36 pm 88S 7:03:51 pm -83S EST Charlotte NC 6:01:16 pm 77S 7:04:21 pm -72S EST CharlottetownPE 7:08:48 pm 83N AST Chattanooga TN 5:55:22 pm 81S 7:01:40 pm -75S EST Chicago IL 4:51:48 pm 75N 5:57:34 pm -81N CST Cincinnati OH 5:55:10 pm 87N 7:01:41 pm -88S EST Cleveland OH 5:57:44 pm 83N 7:02:28 pm -87N EST Columbia MO 5:54:57 pm -86N CST Columbia SC 6:01:55 pm 73S 7:03:51 pm -67S EST Columbus GA 5:57:20 pm 72S 7:00:51 pm -66S EST Columbus OH 5:56:41 pm 86N 7:02:23 pm -89S EST Concord NH 6:05:38 pm 87N 7:06:25 pm -88N EST Dallas TX 5:50:54 pm -80S CST Dartmouth NS 7:09:29 pm 88N AST Davenport IA 4:48:34 pm 73N 5:55:05 pm -79N CST Dayton OH 5:55:26 pm 85N 7:01:38 pm -89S EST DaytonaBeach FL 6:07:16 pm 54S 6:59:25 pm -48S EST Decatur IL 4:50:03 pm 80N 5:57:47 pm -86N CST Des Moines IA 5:51:48 pm -76N CST Detroit MI 5:56:23 pm 79N 7:00:57 pm -83N EST Dubuque IA 4:48:50 pm 70N 5:54:12 pm -76N CST Duluth MN 4:50:05 pm 55N 5:47:29 pm -61N CST Durham NC 6:03:06 pm 77S 7:05:27 pm -73S EST Eau Claire WI 4:49:14 pm 62N 5:50:53 pm -68N CST Elizabeth NJ 6:04:50 pm 88S 7:06:48 pm -85S EST Enid OK 5:49:32 pm -88N CST Erie PA 5:59:09 pm 82N 7:03:05 pm -86N EST Evansville IN 4:51:37 pm 87N 5:59:41 pm -87S CST Fall River MA 6:06:40 pm 88S 7:07:26 pm -87S EST Fargo ND 5:41:20 pm -55N CST Flint MI 5:55:48 pm 76N 6:59:53 pm -81N EST Fort Wayne IN 5:54:21 pm 80N 7:00:16 pm -86N EST Fort Worth TX 5:50:17 pm -80S CST Fredericton NB 7:07:17 pm 81N AST FtSmith AR 5:53:41 pm -85S CST Gadsden AL 6:00:55 pm -72S CST Gainesville FL 6:04:25 pm 58S 6:59:32 pm -52S EST Galveston TX 5:51:05 pm -66S CST Gary IN 4:52:03 pm 76N 5:58:03 pm -82N CST Grand Rapids MI 5:53:56 pm 74N 6:58:23 pm -79N EST Green Bay WI 4:52:10 pm 67N 5:54:47 pm -72N CST Greensboro NC 6:02:00 pm 78S 7:05:02 pm -74S EST Greenville SC 5:59:30 pm 77S 7:03:25 pm -72S EST Guelph ON 5:58:49 pm 78N 7:01:50 pm -82N EST Gulfport MS 5:56:38 pm -62S CST Halifax NS 7:09:29 pm 88N AST HamiltonBermuda 7:22:43 pm 48S AST Hamilton OH 5:55:03 pm 86N 7:01:32 pm -89S EST Hamilton ON 5:59:10 pm 79N 7:02:20 pm -83N EST Harrisburg PA 6:02:40 pm 89S 7:05:47 pm -86S EST Hartford CT 6:05:29 pm 90S 7:06:52 pm -88S EST Havana Cuba 6:22:30 pm 19S 6:40:32 pm -12S EST Holyoke MA 6:05:18 pm 89N 7:06:39 pm -89S EST Houston TX 5:50:57 pm -68S CST Hull PQ 6:02:03 pm 76N 7:02:41 pm -79N EST Huntington WV 5:57:40 pm 89S 7:03:19 pm -84S EST Huntsville AL 6:00:43 pm -75S CST Indianapolis IN 5:53:12 pm 83N 7:00:09 pm -89N EST Iowa City IA 5:53:59 pm -78N CST Jackson MI 5:55:04 pm 78N 7:00:01 pm -82N EST Jackson MS 5:57:08 pm -70S CST Jacksonville FL 6:04:42 pm 60S 7:00:39 pm -54S EST Jersey City NJ 6:04:55 pm 88S 7:06:50 pm -85S EST Johnstown PA 6:00:42 pm 89N 7:04:43 pm -87S EST Joplin MO 5:53:17 pm -89N CST Kalamazoo MI 5:53:56 pm 76N 6:59:00 pm -81N EST Kansas City KS 5:52:19 pm -83N CST Kansas City MO 5:52:24 pm -83N CST Kenosha WI 4:51:44 pm 73N 5:56:49 pm -78N CST Key West FL 6:16:45 pm 31S 6:47:52 pm -24S EST Kingston ON 6:01:44 pm 79N 7:03:25 pm -82N EST Kitchener ON 5:58:38 pm 78N 7:01:46 pm -82N EST Knoxville TN 5:56:50 pm 83S 7:02:42 pm -77S EST La Salle PQ 6:03:26 pm 78N 7:03:41 pm -80N EST Lafayette IN 5:52:26 pm 80N 6:59:15 pm -86N EST Lancaster PA 6:03:18 pm 88S 7:06:09 pm -84S EST Lansing MI 5:54:58 pm 76N 6:59:28 pm -81N EST Laval PQ 6:03:20 pm 77N 7:03:31 pm -79N EST Lawrence MA 6:06:07 pm 88N 7:06:52 pm -90N EST Lexington KY 5:55:22 pm 90S 7:02:01 pm -84S EST Lima OH 5:55:23 pm 82N 7:01:14 pm -88N EST Lincoln NE 5:48:40 pm -75N CST Little Rock AR 5:55:53 pm -81S CST London ON 5:58:00 pm 79N 7:01:40 pm -83N EST Lorain OH 5:57:16 pm 82N 7:02:10 pm -87N EST Louisville KY 5:53:50 pm 88N 7:01:03 pm -86S EST Lowell MA 6:06:03 pm 88N 7:06:51 pm -90S EST Macon GA 5:59:10 pm 72S 7:01:52 pm -66S EST Madison WI 4:50:21 pm 70N 5:54:56 pm -76N CST Manchester NH 6:05:48 pm 87N 7:06:35 pm -89N EST Marshall TX 5:53:27 pm -76S CST Memphis TN 5:57:58 pm -80S CST Meriden CT 6:05:31 pm 89S 7:06:57 pm -87S EST Miami FL 6:16:26 pm 35S 6:52:03 pm -29S EST Milwaukee WI 4:51:48 pm 71N 5:56:23 pm -77N CST Minneapolis MN 5:48:39 pm -66N CST Mississauga ON 5:59:22 pm 78N 7:02:15 pm -82N EST Mobile AL 5:57:38 pm -62S CST Moline IL 5:55:09 pm -79N CST Moncton NB 7:08:08 pm 82N AST Montgomery AL 5:59:59 pm -67S CST Montpelier VT 6:04:28 pm 82N 7:05:15 pm -84N EST Montreal PQ 6:03:29 pm 78N 7:03:39 pm -80N EST Muncie IN 5:54:03 pm 83N 7:00:33 pm -88N EST Nashville TN 4:52:57 pm 87S 6:00:39 pm -80S CST Natchez MS 5:55:47 pm -69S CST New Bedford MA 6:06:52 pm 88S 7:07:32 pm -86S EST New Britain CT 6:05:27 pm 90S 7:06:53 pm -88S EST New Haven CT 6:05:32 pm 89S 7:07:00 pm -86S EST New Orleans LA 5:55:34 pm -62S CST New York NY 6:04:58 pm 88S 7:06:51 pm -85S EST Newark NJ 6:04:49 pm 88S 7:06:47 pm -85S EST NiagaraFalls NY 5:59:55 pm 80N 7:02:58 pm -84N EST NiagaraFalls ON 5:59:55 pm 80N 7:02:57 pm -84N EST Norfolk VA 6:05:24 pm 77S 7:06:42 pm -74S EST North Bay ON 5:59:22 pm 70N 6:59:32 pm -73N EST OklahomaCity OK 5:50:08 pm -89S CST Omaha NE 5:49:17 pm -75N CST Orlando FL 6:07:48 pm 52S 6:58:15 pm -46S EST Oshawa ON 5:59:55 pm 78N 7:02:23 pm -81N EST Ottawa ON 6:02:04 pm 76N 7:02:41 pm -79N EST Paducah KY 5:59:02 pm -85S CST Paterson NJ 6:04:44 pm 88S 7:06:42 pm -86S EST Pensacola FL 4:55:11 pm 68S 5:57:55 pm -60S CST Peoria IL 5:56:39 pm -83N CST Peterborough ON 6:00:18 pm 77N 7:02:19 pm -80N EST Philadelphia PA 6:04:26 pm 86S 7:06:41 pm -83S EST Pittsburgh PA 5:59:39 pm 88N 7:04:03 pm -88S EST Pittsfield MA 6:04:45 pm 87N 7:06:15 pm -90N EST Port Arthur TX 5:52:21 pm -67S CST Portland ME 6:06:17 pm 86N 7:06:34 pm -87N EST Portsmouth NH 6:06:14 pm 88N 7:06:46 pm -89N EST Portsmouth VA 6:05:24 pm 77S 7:06:41 pm -74S EST Providence RI 6:06:24 pm 89S 7:07:17 pm -87S EST Quebec City PQ 6:04:35 pm 75N 7:03:18 pm -77N EST Racine WI 4:51:49 pm 72N 5:56:45 pm -78N CST Raleigh NC 6:03:35 pm 76S 7:05:33 pm -72S EST Reading PA 6:03:29 pm 88S 7:06:13 pm -85S EST Richmond VA 6:03:39 pm 81S 7:06:15 pm -77S EST Roanoke VA 6:01:01 pm 82S 7:05:03 pm -78S EST Rochester MN 5:50:41 pm -70N CST Rochester NY 6:01:04 pm 81N 7:03:45 pm -85N EST Rockford IL 4:50:23 pm 72N 5:55:56 pm -78N CST Saginaw MI 5:55:36 pm 74N 6:59:21 pm -79N EST Saint John NB 7:07:55 pm 84N AST Salina KS 5:48:50 pm -81N CST Sarasota FL 6:07:49 pm 48S 6:55:44 pm -42S EST SaultStMarie ON 5:55:52 pm 65N 6:55:41 pm -69N EST Savannah GA 6:03:32 pm 66S 7:02:37 pm -60S EST Schenectady NY 6:04:05 pm 86N 7:05:46 pm -88N EST Scranton PA 6:03:15 pm 89N 7:05:49 pm -88S EST Sheboygan WI 5:52:11 pm 69N 6:55:52 pm -75N EST Sherbrooke PQ 6:04:36 pm 79N 7:04:28 pm -81N EST Shreveport LA 5:54:40 pm -74S CST Sioux City IA 5:47:33 pm -70N CST Sioux Falls SD 5:46:00 pm -67N CST Somerville MA 6:06:19 pm 89N 7:07:05 pm -89S EST South Bend IN 5:53:11 pm 77N 6:58:57 pm -83N EST Spartanburg SC 6:00:02 pm 77S 7:03:42 pm -72S EST Springfield IL 5:57:09 pm -86N CST Springfield MA 6:05:22 pm 89N 7:06:43 pm -89S EST Springfield MO 5:54:34 pm -90S CST Springfield OH 5:55:50 pm 85N 7:01:51 pm -90S EST StCatharines ON 5:59:44 pm 80N 7:02:48 pm -83N EST StCloud MN 5:46:44 pm -63N CST St John's NF 7:41:17 pm 84N NST St Joseph MO 5:51:40 pm -81N CST St Louis MO 5:57:09 pm -89N CST St Paul MN 5:48:52 pm -66N CST StPetersburg FL 6:06:50 pm 51S 6:56:34 pm -44S EST Stamford CT 6:05:11 pm 88S 7:06:53 pm -86S EST Steubenville OH 5:59:04 pm 87N 7:03:44 pm -89S EST Sudbury ON 5:58:17 pm 68N 6:58:17 pm -72N EST Superior WI 4:50:03 pm 55N 5:47:35 pm -61N CST Sydney NS 7:10:02 pm 85N AST Syracuse NY 6:02:15 pm 83N 7:04:35 pm -86N EST Tallahassee FL 6:00:12 pm 64S 6:59:36 pm -57S EST Tampa FL 6:06:52 pm 51S 6:56:56 pm -44S EST TerreHaute IN 5:51:46 pm 83N 6:59:16 pm -89N EST Texarkana TX 5:54:01 pm -79S CST Thunder Bay ON 5:53:18 pm 54N 6:48:14 pm -58N EST Toledo OH 5:55:58 pm 80N 7:01:04 pm -85N EST Topeka KS 5:51:08 pm -82N CST Toronto ON 5:59:32 pm 78N 7:02:17 pm -82N EST Trenton NJ 6:04:38 pm 87S 7:06:45 pm -84S EST TroiRivieres PQ 6:03:55 pm 76N 7:03:15 pm -77N EST Troy NY 6:04:18 pm 86N 7:05:55 pm -88N EST Tulsa OK 5:51:50 pm -89S CST Urbana IL 4:50:56 pm 80N 5:58:18 pm -86N CST Utica NY 6:02:58 pm 84N 7:04:59 pm -86N EST W Palm Beach FL 6:14:10 pm 41S 6:54:45 pm -35S EST Waco TX 5:50:09 pm -76S CST Washington DC 6:03:17 pm 85S 7:06:11 pm -81S EST Waterbury CT 6:05:19 pm 90S 7:06:50 pm -87S EST Waterloo IA 4:47:05 pm 68N 5:52:25 pm -75N CST Wheeling WV 5:59:02 pm 88N 7:03:48 pm -88S EST White Plains NY 6:05:01 pm 88S 7:06:49 pm -86S EST Wichita KS 5:48:41 pm -78N CST Wilkes Barre PA 6:03:07 pm 89N 7:05:48 pm -88S EST Wilmington DE 6:04:13 pm 86S 7:06:35 pm -83S EST Wilmington NC 6:05:42 pm 70S 7:05:19 pm -66S EST Windsor ON 5:56:24 pm 79N 7:00:58 pm -83N EST Winnipeg MB 4:50:16 pm 38N 5:35:04 pm -44N CST WinstonSalem NC 6:01:26 pm 79S 7:04:49 pm -74S EST Worcester MA 6:05:52 pm 89N 7:06:55 pm -89S EST Yonkers NY 6:04:57 pm 88S 7:06:49 pm -86S EST York PA 6:02:57 pm 88S 7:05:59 pm -84S EST Youngstown OH 5:58:51 pm 85N 7:03:20 pm -89N EST Zanesville OH 5:57:44 pm 87N 7:03:03 pm -88S EST David Dunham, IOTA, 1998 January 30, 17h U.T.