Observation and reduction of mutual events in the solar system

Mutual event observations started in the early 1970s with the Galilean satellites. These observations were needed because of the Voyager spacecraft future arrival. Since 1979, IMCCE has organized observational campaigns for the Galilean satellites (called PHEMU), and since 1995 for the Saturnian satellites (also called PHESAT). Meanwhile, the reduction techniques have been greatly improved. Mutual event observations are one of the most accurate methods for obtaining positions of natural satellites, useful for detecting tidal effects. Hence mutual events of Jovian and Saturnian natural satellites are regularly observed around the world. This paper aims to describe mutual events and the advantages of this kind of observation besides the classical astrometric ones.