Asteroid (minor planet) VESTA

[mike.brightmore]

Had a look at Vesta this evening. Couldn't really tell which one it was in the telescope but an easy target with binoculars. Trouble is it clouded over before I could confirm that it was moving. During the night of 16th / 17th February it will move through the gap between the magnitude 2.5 star Algieba or gamma Leonis (in Leo's Sickle asterism) and the fainter mag. 4 star 40 Leonis just below it. Vesta is about mag. 6. Here's a link to a printable star chart from Sky & Telescope

http://media.skyandtelescope.com/documents/WEB_VestaPath_Fndr.pdf?forumid=127055

Also found the Stellarium image to be spot on.

[Towa]

Many thanks for the heads up on the 16/17th event, its been quite some time since I last

did some asteroid observing. Some 25 years ago, I was observing this asteroid in a big way,

under the guidance of the late Andy Hollis, and ever since I've had a soft-spot for the "vermin of the skies".

Since that statement was made, we have gone on to realise that the vermin have actually turned out to be

some of the most interesting objects in the Solar System. On my computer desk, I have a piece of the

Tatahouine meteorite, that is said to come from Vesta.

[mike.brightmore]

Should be interesting next year when NASA's Dawn spacecraft gets close-up and personal to Vesta.

[iamjulian]

I like the map Mike, thanks. I have been having trouble finding accurate maps for asteroids. Plugging the data from the minor planet centre into the solar system .txt file on stellarium didn't give me any joy (I must have done it wrong) and the cartes du ciel seemed to be good for some asteroids, but not for others.

Cannot wait to add Vesta to my list.

[legion48]

Thanks for the heads up Mike.

[lunator]

Mike

If the skies are clear I will definately have a go at this

Cheers

Ian

[mike.brightmore]

Unfortunately its looking like a very big IF for this week Ian

[Phil Fargaze]

I was really hoping this close encounter with Algieba was going to help me spot it for the first time but this horrible weather has put a stop to that