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Asteroids around opposition
Charts show 1 month either side of opposition and are tabulated in order of opposition date. Positions are calculated from the latest osculating elements given in the Minor Planet Center's database. Star data are from the Hipparcos/Tycho databases.
Our aim is to provide charts for all minor planets that reach magnitude 12.0 or brighter at opposition (as estimated from G and H parameters*). A chart for any object at any one date & time can also be plotted from our "What's observable" applet.
The following table gives data at opposition. An asterisk after an object's name means that an ephemeris may be found in the printed Handbook.
The charts are interactive, to assist magnitude estimation. Green boxes indicate stars with a colour index similar to the Sun (0.60 < B - V < 0.72). For further explanation see the comet charts page.
NEW (2013 Dec 2) Starting with 1021 Flammario the charts have ephemeris data built in too. If the cursor is moved along the track of an asteroid, data for 0h UT on every day appear in blue. You may need to refresh your browser's cache (Ctrl-F5 in Windows) on a chart to get the latest script file.
* Magnitude estimates are based on H, G, r, Δ and phase angle. The theory behind this was explained in "The H and G magnitude system for asteroids" by Roger Dymock in the BAA Journal: J.Br.Astron.Assoc. 117,6,2007 p.342.
Historical
The following may be of interest to those requiring older confrmation data.
| Link to chart | Opposition (UT) | Mag | Dec (°) | r (AU) | Δ (AU) | Phase (°) | Speed1 (°/hr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 6 Hebe* | 2014-Nov-15 17h | 8.05 | -8.89 | 2.00 | 1.07 | 13.57 | 0.0096 |
 8 Flora | 2015-Feb-15 10h | 9.05 | +18.45 | 2.27 | 1.28 | 2.62 | 0.0119 |
 354 Eleonora | 2015-Mar-05 14h | 9.64 | +17.88 | 2.49 | 1.51 | 5.06 | 0.0113 |
 511 Davida | 2015-Mar-18 00h | 11.77 | -1.37 | 2.98 | 1.99 | 0.95 | 0.0085 |
 113 Amalthea | 2015-Sep-11 01h | 11.89 | -10.20 | 2.53 | 1.53 | 2.31 | 0.0104 |
 45 Eugenia | 2015-Sep-16 15h | 11.21 | -6.77 | 2.80 | 1.80 | 1.59 | 0.0094 |
 250 Bettina | 2016-Feb-03 18h | 11.61 | 34.18 | 2.78 | 1.83 | 6.44 | 0.0087 |
Current
The following are future Oppositions.
| Link to chart | Opposition (UT) | Mag | Dec (°) | r (AU) | Δ (AU) | Phase (°) | Speed1 (°/hr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 93 Minerva | 2021-Mar-08 03h | 11.75 | 8.40 | 2.84 | 1.85 | 1.31 | 0.0098 |
 116 Sirona | 2021-Mar-10 11h | 10.72 | 9.42 | 2.38 | 1.39 | 2.44 | 0.0093 |
 409 Aspasia | 2021-Mar-11 11h | 11.00 | -12.56 | 2.48 | 1.52 | 6.95 | 0.0098 |
 35 Leukothea | 2021-Mar-29 22h | 11.34 | -7.01 | 2.34 | 1.34 | 1.57 | 0.0092 |
 9 Metis | 2021-Apr-04 13h | 9.51 | 1.18 | 2.50 | 1.50 | 3.00 | 0.0106 |
 192 Nausikaa | 2021-Apr-07 12h | 11.44 | -12.25 | 2.99 | 1.99 | 1.93 | 0.0103 |
 174 Phaedra | 2021-Apr-14 23h | 11.91 | -25.04 | 2.57 | 1.60 | 6.39 | 0.0092 |
 511 Davida | 2021-Apr-15 06h | 11.46 | 11.02 | 3.36 | 2.41 | 6.48 | 0.0081 |
 28 Bellona | 2021-Apr-24 03h | 10.96 | 0.47 | 2.68 | 1.69 | 5.23 | 0.0092 |
 69 Hesperia | 2021-Apr-24 14h | 11.30 | -6.94 | 2.98 | 1.98 | 2.14 | 0.0089 |
 346 Hermentaria | 2021-Apr-25 11h | 11.70 | -2.96 | 3.07 | 2.08 | 3.53 | 0.0090 |
 480 Hansa | 2021-Apr-30 10h | 11.99 | -24.67 | 2.71 | 1.71 | 3.85 | 0.0114 |
 120 Lachesis | 2021-May-01 16h | 11.90 | -23.84 | 2.95 | 1.95 | 3.10 | 0.0083 |
 389 Industria | 2021-May-10 07h | 11.05 | -28.09 | 2.47 | 1.47 | 4.43 | 0.0096 |
 37 Fides | 2021-May-11 02h | 11.55 | -20.83 | 3.06 | 2.05 | 1.02 | 0.0093 |
 324 Bamberga | 2021-May-18 13h | 11.60 | -35.47 | 3.11 | 2.13 | 5.24 | 0.0095 |
 230 Athamantis | 2021-May-22 05h | 10.24 | -20.04 | 2.48 | 1.47 | 0.13 | 0.0108 |
 704 Interamnia | 2021-May-24 06h | 11.26 | -35.70 | 3.33 | 2.35 | 4.58 | 0.0087 |
 128 Nemesis | 2021-May-26 18h | 11.65 | -19.43 | 2.97 | 1.95 | 0.61 | 0.0092 |
 172 Baucis | 2021-May-28 05h | 11.76 | -38.68 | 2.32 | 1.33 | 7.54 | 0.0100 |
 216 Kleopatra | 2021-May-29 10h | 11.88 | -11.46 | 3.31 | 2.30 | 3.13 | 0.0091 |
 101 Helena | 2021-Jun-02 04h | 11.57 | -39.11 | 2.47 | 1.48 | 6.94 | 0.0094 |
 3 Juno | 2021-Jun-06 22h | 10.12 | -4.20 | 3.29 | 2.31 | 5.63 | 0.0089 |
 5 Astraea | 2021-Jun-20 06h | 10.78 | -16.75 | 2.81 | 1.80 | 2.40 | 0.0097 |
1 The speed column shows apparent speed across the sky at opposition. This should assist photographers to determine how frequently to take frames to obtain a trail (knowing pixels per degree in their telescope/camera configuration).
next to a chart provides a link to a red-on-black version, for display while observing.
