Sharjah: The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah, through the Sharjah Astronomical Observatory (SAO), has achieved a significant milestone by successfully observing one of the most challenging stellar occultations of the year. This accomplishment marks a new chapter in the Academy's contributions to the field of astronomy on a global scale.

According to Emirates News Agency, the event garnered considerable attention from occultation experts worldwide. The stellar occultation was caused by the asteroid Quaoar, a Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO) with an estimated diameter of about 1,110 kilometers. Quaoar orbits the Sun at a distance exceeding 6.5 billion kilometers. During the occultation, Quaoar passed in front of a star, blocking its light for up to 45 seconds. This provided an exceptional opportunity to analyze Quaoar's size, shape, and physical properties.

The occultation was particularly challenging due to its long duration, the faintness of the occulted star, and its location in a star-rich region near the Milky Way's center. Stellar occultations occur when an asteroid passes in front of a distant star, temporarily blocking its light. The duration of such events depends on the asteroid's size, shape, and distance from Earth.

This branch of astronomy is one of the most precise, requiring highly accurate instruments and synchronized timing systems. A total of 26 observatories worldwide participated in attempting to capture this event from various locations along or near the asteroid's shadow path.

The Sharjah Astronomical Observatory was among the few to successfully record the occultation, thanks to its optimal location along the central shadow path, which allowed for a complete and accurate observation. Many other observatories faced challenges due to adverse weather conditions or their locations outside the shadow path.