Asteroid 4 Vesta stands near a background star today, creating a temporary artificial double star to enjoy.
Bright Vesta will be easy to spot this month, curving away from Virgo toward Alpha and Beta Librae. Credit: Astronomy: Roen Kelly
- Vesta, the second-largest asteroid, is easily visible with binoculars or a telescope.
- Vesta appears near a fainter star, creating a close pair of lights.
- Locate Vesta in Libra, northwest of the star Zubenelgenubi.
- Vesta was the fourth asteroid discovered.
Seventh-magnitude 4 Vesta is an easy catch from any location and with any equipment: binoculars or a telescope. Tonight, it’s just 5’ from a magnitude 7.5 field star, creating a temporary artificial double star to enjoy.Â
You’ll find Vesta in the northwestern corner of Libra, near that constellation’s border with Virgo. It now sits about 7.5° north-northwest of 3rd-magnitude Zubenelgenubi, the Balance’s alpha star. (Note that this star is a double visible to many without any optical aid at all, with a 5th-magnitude companion visible 4’ to the primary’s northwest. Even if you can’t split it by eye, it will certainly appear in binoculars or any scope.)Â
Once you land on Vesta’s position, you’ll see two points of light. The asteroid is the slightly brighter point to the northwest of the fainter field star (cataloged as HIP 71417 or HD 128275).
Despite the fact that it was the fourth asteroid discovered, Vesta is the second-largest body in the main belt, after dwarf planet 1 Ceres.
Sunrise:Â 5:48 A.M.
Sunset:Â 8:25 P.M.
Moonrise:Â 12:38 A.M.
Moonset:Â 3:42 P.M.
Moon Phase:Â Waning crescent (31%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
For a look ahead at more upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column.Â
