VESTA is the last of the four main minor planets to be discovered even though it is considerably brighter than either Ceres, Pallas or Juno. Vesta was originally the Roman goddess of the hearth, and was highly worshipped among the Latin population. Her flame was tended by the Vestal Virgins, which was said to have been brought originally from Troy. They believed that if its light was ever extinguished, it would mark the end of the Roman Empire. In Greece, the goddess was known as Hestia.
VESTA DATADiscoverer : Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers Date : 29 March 1807 Satellites : 0 Diameter : 578×560×458 km. Polar Tilt : c.29 ° Period (P) : 3.63 yr. Synodic Period : 463.88 d. Orbital Velocity : 19.34 km.s-1 Perihelion (q) : 2.151 A.U. Aphelion (Q) : 2.572 A.U. Eccentricity (e) : 0.0890 Inclination (i) : 7.133° Mass : 2.7 ×1020 kg. Mean Density : 3.4 g.cm-3 Mean Distance : 2.360 AU or ×108 km Sidereal Rotation : 05 hr. 20.5 m. Mean Sidereal Rotation : 0.2226 d. Maximum Diameter : 0.640 ″ (arcsec) Minimum Diameter : 0.201 ″ (arcsec) Maximum Magnitude : 5.3 Minimum Magnitude : 10.3 Class : V-type |
Discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers on 29 March 1807, Vesta is well named being clearly the brightest of all the minor planets and the only one sometimes visible to the naked-eye. Vesta orbits the Sun once every 3 years or 8 months or 3.63 years and whose maximum brightness may reach 5.3 magnitude - quite similar in brightness to Uranus. At minimum, this may drop below 10.3, giving the mean brightness around 7.8 magnitude. This overall brightness is due to the high albedo of 0.43 - exceeding the albedos of either Ceres, Juno or Pallas. Over the next few decades, Vesta will reach 5.4 during early June 2007 and 5.6 August 2011.
Across the 468.3 km diameter of Vesta is unusually irregular, whose cratered surface has various dark and light spots - including one bright white spot in the mid-latitudes, which was first seen in 1994 using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and slightly later using the ESO 3.6-metre telescope atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii. These surface brightness difference also causes the slow 0.1 to 0.3 magnitude fluctuations in visible light - one the largest of any known asteroid - throughout the very fast rotation of 05 hours 20.5 minutes or 0.2226 days. This quoted value has stood almost unchanged since 1951 since Vesta was observed photometrically by Bruce Stephenson with the Yerkes 30.5cm (12-inch) photographic refractor and the 82-inch at McDonald Observatory. The equatorial axis of Vesta is also tilted by some 29° to the observer’s line-of-sight. It is classed as a V-type asteroid, whose composition seems to consist of mainly basalt and accounts for the slight reddish colour seen through the telescope.
Vesta’s orbit around the Sun is fairly circular, having an eccentricity ‘e’ of 0.089, and the mean distance of 2.36 A.U. or 353 million kilometres. The orbit is inclined only by 7.3° to the ecliptic, and like most of the major planets does follow the zodiac fairly closely. Since discovery there have been some 64 observed oppositions, so the orbit is well defined.
Currently there are plans to visit Vesta, as well as Ceres, using the unmanned mission known as DAWN. With a checkered history of cancellations and reinstatements - the most recent being in March 2006, the spacecraft is now expected to be launched in June 2007. Using gravity assistance, the journey is expected to fly-by Mars in March 2009, then onto Vesta in October 2011. Dawn will the orbit Vesta until April 2012, before breaking orbit and heading off to Ceres. Ceres encounter will start in February 2015 and continue its exploration for several months. This DAWN mission expected to add much to our knowledge of the inner Solar System and towards some better understanding of the formation and origin of all asteroids.
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0h UT (J2000) Mag Δ r El. Con
DATE R.A. Decl. V A.U. A.U. o
hh mm.m o ′
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12 Jan 20 58.3 -20 17 7.9 3.157 2.261 020 Cap
26 Jan 21 27.4 -18 24 7.9 3.220 2.274 013 Cap
09 Feb 21 55.9 -16 18 7.8 3.264 2.287 007 Cap
23 Feb 22 23.6 -14 02 7.8 3.287 2.301 004 Aqr
08 Mar 22 50.5 -11 39 7.9 3.290 2.315 009 Aqr
22 Mar 23 16.8 -09 13 8.0 3.271 2.329 016 Aqr
05 Apr 23 42.2 -06 48 8.1 3.233 2.343 023 Aqr
19 Apr 00 07.0 -04 25 8.2 3.175 2.357 030 Psc
03 May 00 31.0 -02 08 8.2 3.098 2.371 037 Cet
17 May 00 54.3 +00 01 8.2 3.002 2.385 044 Cet
31 May 01 16.6 +01 56 8.2 2.890 2.398 052 Cet
14 Jun 01 37.9 +03 38 8.2 2.763 2.412 059 Psc
28 Jun 01 57.9 +05 05 8.1 2.622 2.425 068 Psc
12 Jul 02 16.3 +06 13 8.0 2.471 2.438 076 Cet
26 Jul 02 32.5 +07 01 7.9 2.313 2.450 085 Cet
09 Aug 02 45.8 +07 28 7.7 2.150 2.462 095 Cet
23 Aug 02 55.6 +07 31 7.5 1.991 2.474 106 Cet
06 Sep 03 00.9 +07 12 7.3 1.841 2.485 118 Cet
20 Sep 03 00.8 +06 31 7.1 1.710 2.495 132 Cet
04 Oct 02 55.1 +05 32 6.8 1.609 2.505 147 Cet
18 Oct 02 44.4 +04 27 6.6 1.550 2.514 161 Cet
01 Nov 02 30.8 +03 30 6.5 1.542 2.523 169 Cet
15 Nov 02 17.4 +02 57 6.7 1.588 2.531 158 Cet
29 Nov 02 07.2 +02 56 7.0 1.684 2.538 142 Cet
13 Dec 02 01.9 +03 29 7.3 1.820 2.545 128 Psc
27 Dec 02 01.9 +04 32 7.5 1.986 2.551 114 Psc
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0h UT (J2000) Mag Δ r El. Con
DATE R.A. Decl. V A.U. A.U. o
hh mm.m o ′
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-- 2007 --
27 Dec 02 01.9 +04 32 7.5 1.986 2.551 114 Psc
-- 2008 --
10 Jan 02 07.0 +05 58 7.8 2.169 2.556 102 Psc
24 Jan 02 16.3 +07 38 8.0 2.359 2.561 090 Cet
07 Feb 02 29.1 +09 28 8.1 2.550 2.564 080 Cet
21 Feb 02 44.7 +11 22 8.3 2.734 2.567 070 Ari
07 Mar 03 02.7 +13 15 8.4 2.908 2.569 061 Ari
21 Mar 03 22.6 +15 03 8.4 3.066 2.571 052 Ari
04 Apr 03 44.2 +16 45 8.5 3.206 2.572 043 Tau
18 Apr 04 07.0 +18 17 8.5 3.325 2.571 035 Tau
02 May 04 31.0 +19 36 8.5 3.423 2.570 027 Tau
16 May 04 55.8 +20 41 8.4 3.497 2.569 020 Tau
30 May 05 21.3 +21 31 8.3 3.547 2.566 012 Tau
13 Jun 05 47.3 +22 04 8.2 3.573 2.563 005 Tau
27 Jun 06 13.6 +22 21 8.1 3.574 2.559 003 Gem
11 Jul 06 40.0 +22 21 8.3 3.551 2.554 010 Gem
25 Jul 07 06.2 +22 04 8.4 3.503 2.549 017 Gem
08 Aug 07 32.0 +21 33 8.4 3.432 2.543 024 Gem
22 Aug 07 57.4 +20 49 8.4 3.339 2.536 032 Gem
05 Sep 08 22.0 +19 53 8.4 3.224 2.528 039 Cnc
19 Sep 08 45.7 +18 49 8.4 3.088 2.520 047 Cnc
03 Oct 09 08.2 +17 41 8.3 2.935 2.511 056 Cnc
17 Oct 09 29.4 +16 31 8.2 2.766 2.501 064 Leo
31 Oct 09 48.9 +15 26 8.1 2.584 2.491 074 Leo
14 Nov 10 06.3 +14 30 8.0 2.394 2.481 083 Leo
28 Nov 10 21.2 +13 51 7.8 2.199 2.470 094 Leo
12 Dec 10 32.7 +13 35 7.5 2.008 2.458 105 Leo
26 Dec 10 40.1 +13 50 7.3 1.826 2.446 118 Leo
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0h UT (J2000) Mag Δ r El. Con
DATE R.A. Decl. V A.U. A.U. o
hh mm.m o ′
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09 Jan 10 42.4 +14 40 7.0 1.665 2.433 132 Leo
23 Jan 10 39.0 +16 08 6.7 1.535 2.420 147 Leo
06 Feb 10 30.1 +18 01 6.3 1.448 2.407 163 Leo
20 Feb 10 17.4 +19 59 6.1 1.412 2.394 171 Leo
06 Mar 10 04.0 +21 34 6.3 1.430 2.380 158 Leo
20 Mar 09 53.5 +22 28 6.6 1.497 2.366 143 Leo
03 Apr 09 48.4 +22 38 6.9 1.601 2.352 128 Leo
17 Apr 09 49.4 +22 08 7.1 1.732 2.339 115 Leo
01 May 09 55.9 +21 07 7.3 1.878 2.325 103 Leo
15 May 10 07.1 +19 41 7.5 2.031 2.311 093 Leo
29 May 10 21.8 +17 55 7.7 2.184 2.297 083 Leo
12 Jun 10 39.2 +15 51 7.8 2.334 2.284 075 Leo
26 Jun 10 58.6 +13 32 7.9 2.476 2.270 067 Leo
10 Jul 11 19.6 +11 02 7.9 2.608 2.258 059 Leo
24 Jul 11 41.8 +08 21 8.0 2.728 2.245 052 Vir
07 Aug 12 05.1 +05 34 8.0 2.836 2.233 045 Vir
21 Aug 12 29.1 +02 41 8.0 2.929 2.222 038 Vir
04 Sep 12 54.1 +00 14 7.9 3.007 2.211 032 Vir
18 Sep 13 19.8 -03 08 7.9 3.070 2.202 025 Vir
02 Oct 13 46.3 -05 58 7.8 3.117 2.192 019 Vir
16 Oct 14 13.7 -08 42 7.8 3.147 2.184 012 Vir
30 Oct 14 42.0 -11 15 7.6 3.160 2.177 007 Lib
13 Nov 15 11.1 -13 36 7.6 3.156 2.170 004 Lib
27 Nov 15 40.9 -15 40 7.7 3.134 2.165 009 Lib
11 Dec 16 11.4 -17 25 7.7 3.095 2.160 015 Sco
25 Dec 16 42.4 -18 49 7.8 3.040 2.157 022 Oph
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0h UT (J2000) Mag Δ r El. Con
DATE R.A. Decl. V A.U. A.U. o
hh mm.m o ′
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08 Jan 17 13.5 -19 50 7.8 2.967 2.154 028 Oph
22 Jan 17 44.6 -20 29 7.8 2.879 2.153 035 Sgr
05 Feb 18 15.3 -20 45 7.8 2.777 2.153 042 Sgr
19 Feb 18 45.3 -20 41 7.8 2.661 2.154 049 Sgr
05 Mar 19 14.0 -20 19 7.8 2.533 2.156 057 Sgr
19 Mar 19 41.3 -19 43 7.7 2.395 2.159 064 Sgr
02 Apr 20 06.7 -18 59 7.6 2.249 2.163 072 Sgr
16 Apr 20 29.9 -18 12 7.5 2.097 2.168 080 Cap
30 Apr 20 50.4 -17 29 7.3 1.942 2.174 089 Cap
14 May 21 07.6 -16 59 7.1 1.788 2.181 099 Cap
28 May 21 20.9 -16 48 6.9 1.639 2.189 109 Cap
11 Jun 21 29.4 -17 05 6.7 1.501 2.198 121 Cap
25 Jun 21 32.3 -17 56 6.4 1.382 2.208 133 Cap
09 Jul 21 29.1 -19 22 6.1 1.291 2.218 148 Cap
23 Jul 21 20.2 -21 12 5.8 1.238 2.229 163 Cap
06 Aug 21 07.7 -23 04 5.6 1.230 2.241 174 Cap
20 Aug 20 55.0 -24 35 5.9 1.271 2.253 161 Cap
03 Sep 20 45.7 -25 30 6.3 1.357 2.266 146 Cap
17 Sep 20 42.0 -25 46 6.6 1.481 2.279 132 Cap
01 Oct 20 44.6 -25 28 6.9 1.632 2.292 119 Cap
15 Oct 20 52.8 -24 44 7.2 1.803 2.306 107 Cap
29 Oct 21 05.6 -23 38 7.5 1.984 2.320 097 Cap
12 Nov 21 21.8 -22 12 7.7 2.171 2.333 087 Cap
26 Nov 21 40.6 -20 30 7.8 2.357 2.347 077 Cap
10 Dec 22 01.1 -18 32 8.0 2.538 2.361 068 Aqr
24 Dec 22 22.8 -16 22 8.1 2.711 2.375 060 Aqr
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0h UT (J2000) Mag Δ r El. Con
DATE R.A. Decl. V A.U. A.U. o
hh mm.m o ′
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07 Jan 22 45.3 -14 01 8.2 2.871 2.389 052 Aqr
21 Jan 23 08.3 -11 31 8.2 3.017 2.402 044 Aqr
04 Feb 23 31.6 -08 56 8.2 3.145 2.415 036 Aqr
18 Feb 23 55.2 -06 17 8.2 3.255 2.428 028 Aqr
03 Mar 00 18.8 -03 37 8.2 3.343 2.441 021 Psc
17 Mar 00 42.6 +00 60 8.2 3.409 2.453 014 Cet
31 Mar 01 06.4 +01 34 8.1 3.452 2.465 007 Cet
14 Apr 01 30.3 +04 02 8.1 3.473 2.476 005 Psc
28 Apr 01 54.1 +06 21 8.2 3.469 2.487 011 Psc
12 May 02 18.0 +08 30 8.3 3.443 2.497 017 Cet
26 May 02 41.7 +10 27 8.4 3.394 2.507 024 Cet
09 Jun 03 05.3 +12 10 8.4 3.323 2.516 032 Ari
23 Jun 03 28.5 +13 40 8.4 3.232 2.524 039 Tau
07 Jul 03 51.2 +14 54 8.4 3.120 2.532 047 Tau
21 Jul 04 13.1 +15 53 8.4 2.989 2.539 055 Tau
04 Aug 04 33.8 +16 37 8.3 2.843 2.546 063 Tau
18 Aug 04 52.9 +17 07 8.2 2.682 2.551 072 Tau
01 Sep 05 09.8 +17 25 8.1 2.512 2.556 081 Tau
15 Sep 05 24.0 +17 32 8.0 2.334 2.561 091 Tau
29 Sep 05 34.5 +17 32 7.8 2.157 2.564 102 Tau
13 Oct 05 40.5 +17 29 7.6 1.986 2.567 115 Tau
27 Oct 05 41.0 +17 25 7.3 1.832 2.569 128 Tau
10 Nov 05 35.6 +17 25 7.0 1.707 2.571 143 Tau
24 Nov 05 24.5 +17 31 6.7 1.622 2.571 160 Tau
08 Dec 05 09.8 +17 42 6.5 1.589 2.571 175 Tau
22 Dec 04 54.6 +18 00 6.7 1.612 2.570 163 Tau
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0h UT (J2000) Mag Δ r El. Con
DATE R.A. Decl. V A.U. A.U. o
hh mm.m o ′
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05 Jan 04 42.5 +18 25 7.0 1.690 2.568 147 Tau
19 Jan 04 35.6 +19 00 7.3 1.811 2.566 131 Tau
02 Feb 04 34.8 +19 43 7.5 1.964 2.563 117 Tau
16 Feb 04 39.8 +20 32 7.7 2.137 2.559 104 Tau
02 Mar 04 49.8 +21 25 7.9 2.317 2.554 092 Tau
16 Mar 05 03.8 +22 15 8.1 2.499 2.548 081 Tau
30 Mar 05 21.2 +23 01 8.2 2.674 2.542 072 Tau
13 Apr 05 41.2 +23 37 8.3 2.838 2.535 062 Tau
27 Apr 06 03.2 +24 01 8.4 2.988 2.528 054 Gem
11 May 06 26.8 +24 10 8.4 3.120 2.520 046 Gem
25 May 06 51.6 +24 04 8.4 3.233 2.511 038 Gem
08 Jun 07 17.2 +23 42 8.4 3.325 2.501 030 Gem
22 Jun 07 43.3 +23 02 8.3 3.395 2.491 023 Gem
06 Jul 08 09.7 +22 05 8.3 3.443 2.481 016 Cnc
20 Jul 08 36.2 +20 53 8.1 3.468 2.470 009 Cnc
03 Aug 09 02.5 +19 26 8.0 3.471 2.458 003 Cnc
17 Aug 09 28.6 +17 46 8.1 3.450 2.446 006 Leo
31 Aug 09 54.4 +15 56 8.1 3.407 2.434 013 Leo
14 Sep 10 19.9 +13 56 8.2 3.343 2.421 020 Leo
28 Sep 10 44.9 +11 51 8.2 3.256 2.408 027 Leo
12 Oct 11 09.5 +09 43 8.2 3.150 2.394 034 Leo
26 Oct 11 33.6 +07 35 8.2 3.025 2.381 042 Leo
09 Nov 11 57.1 +05 31 8.1 2.883 2.367 050 Vir
23 Nov 12 20.0 +03 33 8.1 2.725 2.353 058 Vir
07 Dec 12 41.9 +01 47 8.0 2.555 2.339 066 Vir
21 Dec 13 02.6 +00 15 7.8 2.376 2.325 075 Vir
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0h UT (J2000) Mag Δ r El. Con
DATE R.A. Decl. V A.U. A.U. o
hh mm.m o ′
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04 Jan 13 21.6 +00 58 7.7 2.190 2.311 084 Vir
18 Jan 13 38.4 -01 47 7.5 2.004 2.298 094 Vir
01 Feb 13 52.2 -02 09 7.2 1.821 2.284 105 Vir
15 Feb 14 02.0 -02 00 6.9 1.649 2.271 117 Vir
01 Mar 14 06.7 -01 20 6.6 1.495 2.258 129 Vir
15 Mar 14 05.6 -00 12 6.3 1.368 2.246 143 Vir
29 Mar 13 58.5 +01 14 6.0 1.279 2.234 157 Vir
12 Apr 13 47.1 +02 38 5.8 1.234 2.223 167 Vir
26 Apr 13 34.1 +03 36 5.9 1.238 2.212 160 Vir
10 May 13 23.2 +03 51 6.1 1.288 2.202 147 Vir
24 May 13 17.0 +03 19 6.4 1.375 2.193 133 Vir
07 Jun 13 16.4 +02 04 6.7 1.490 2.184 120 Vir
21 Jun 13 21.4 +00 18 6.9 1.624 2.177 109 Vir
05 Jul 13 31.2 -01 50 7.1 1.769 2.170 099 Vir
19 Jul 13 44.9 -04 13 7.3 1.918 2.164 090 Vir
02 Aug 14 02.0 -06 44 7.5 2.070 2.160 081 Vir
16 Aug 14 21.8 -09 17 7.6 2.218 2.156 073 Vir
30 Aug 14 44.0 -11 49 7.7 2.362 2.154 066 Lib
13 Sep 15 08.3 -14 13 7.8 2.500 2.153 059 Lib
27 Sep 15 34.4 -16 28 7.8 2.628 2.152 052 Lib
11 Oct 16 02.3 -18 28 7.8 2.746 2.153 045 Lib
25 Oct 16 31.6 -20 10 7.9 2.852 2.155 038 Oph
08 Nov 17 02.1 -21 31 7.8 2.945 2.158 031 Oph
22 Nov 17 33.6 -22 28 7.8 3.024 2.162 024 Oph
06 Dec 18 05.8 -23 00 7.8 3.086 2.167 018 Sgr
20 Dec 18 38.3 -23 07 7.7 3.132 2.174 011 Sgr
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************************ Opposition Conjunction ************************ 06 Jan 2006 11 May 2005 31 May 2007 11 Sep 2006 30 Oct 2008 21 Feb 2008 18 Feb 2010 22 Jun 2009 06 Aug 2011 11 Nov 2010 09 Dec 2012 10 Apr 2012 15 Apr 2014 07 Aug 2013 30 Sep 2015 13 Jan 2015 19 Jan 2017 24 May 2016 22 Jun 2018 29 Sep 2017 13 Nov 2019 09 Mar 2019 06 Mar 2021 06 Jul 2020 *************************
The user applying this data for any purpose forgoes any liability against the author. None of the information should be used for either legal or medical purposes. Although the data is accurate as possible some errors might be present. The onus of its use is place solely with the user.