4 Vesta – Astronomy Now

Watch asteroid (4) Vesta hide a naked-eye star in Aries on 11 February

30 January 2020 Ade Ashford

Latest predictions indicate that second-largest asteroid (4) Vesta will pass in front of magnitude +5.3 star HIP 14439 in the constellation of Aries close to 10:02pm GMT (22:02 UT) on Tuesday, 11 February 2020, a binocular event visible from the north of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

See brightest asteroid Vesta at its best

17 January 2017 Ade Ashford

On Wednesday 18 January, brightest asteroid 4 Vesta comes to opposition in the constellation of Cancer bordering on Gemini, ideally placed for observation by Northern Hemisphere skywatchers. While the truly eagle-eyed among you might glimpse it with the unaided eye on dark, moonless nights, Vesta is an easy binocular object.

See asteroid 2 Pallas at its best during August 2016

15 August 2016 Ade Ashford

During the Perseid meteor shower, second-largest asteroid 2 Pallas passed close to the southeast of globular cluster Messier 15 in the constellation of Pegasus. The minor planet still lies in the vicinity of this beautiful deep-sky object, reaching opposition on 20 August — here’s our in-depth guide to Pallas at its best.