* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Ceres

Blobrana · L

On the 25th February, 2009, the dwarf planet Ceres will make its closest opposition to the Earth since 1857. The alignment wont be closer for 2000+ years.
The dwarf planet will brighten to magnitude 6.9 in constellation Leo.

Ephemeris

Date       UT      R.A. (J2000) Decl.    Delta     r     El.    Ph.   V  
            h m s                                                            
2009 02 01 000000 11 18 15.1 +21 13 53   1.665   2.547  146.8  12.2   7.2    
2009 02 02 000000 11 17 49.9 +21 21 57   1.659   2.547  147.8  11.9   7.2    
2009 02 03 000000 11 17 23.2 +21 30 04   1.653   2.547  148.7  11.6   7.2    
2009 02 04 000000 11 16 54.9 +21 38 13   1.647   2.547  149.7  11.3   7.2    
2009 02 05 000000 11 16 25.0 +21 46 23   1.641   2.547  150.7  10.9   7.2    
2009 02 06 000000 11 15 53.7 +21 54 34   1.636   2.547  151.6  10.6   7.1   
2009 02 07 000000 11 15 20.9 +22 02 45   1.631   2.547  152.5  10.3   7.1    
2009 02 08 000000 11 14 46.6 +22 10 56   1.626   2.547  153.4  10.0   7.1    
2009 02 09 000000 11 14 11.0 +22 19 07   1.622   2.547  154.3   9.7   7.1    
2009 02 10 000000 11 13 33.9 +22 27 16   1.617   2.547  155.2   9.3   7.1    
2009 02 11 000000 11 12 55.5 +22 35 23   1.613   2.547  156.1   9.0   7.0    
2009 02 12 000000 11 12 15.9 +22 43 28   1.609   2.547  156.9   8.7   7.0    
2009 02 13 000000 11 11 35.0 +22 51 30   1.606   2.547  157.7   8.5   7.0    
2009 02 14 000000 11 10 52.9 +22 59 28   1.602   2.547  158.5   8.2   7.0    
2009 02 15 000000 11 10 09.6 +23 07 23   1.599   2.547  159.2   7.9   7.0    
2009 02 16 000000 11 09 25.2 +23 15 12   1.597   2.547  159.9   7.7   7.0   
2009 02 17 000000 11 08 39.8 +23 22 56   1.594   2.547  160.5   7.4   6.9    
2009 02 18 000000 11 07 53.4 +23 30 34   1.592   2.547  161.1   7.2   6.9    
2009 02 19 000000 11 07 06.1 +23 38 05   1.590   2.547  161.6   7.0   6.9   
2009 02 20 000000 11 06 17.8 +23 45 30   1.588   2.547  162.1   6.9   6.9    
2009 02 21 000000 11 05 28.8 +23 52 46   1.587   2.547  162.5   6.7   6.9   
2009 02 22 000000 11 04 39.1 +23 59 54   1.585   2.547  162.8   6.6   6.9    
2009 02 23 000000 11 03 48.6 +24 06 53   1.584   2.547  163.0   6.5   6.9    
2009 02 24 000000 11 02 57.6 +24 13 43   1.584   2.547  163.2   6.4   6.9   
2009 02 25 000000 11 02 06.1 +24 20 22   1.583   2.547  163.3   6.4   6.9    
2009 02 26 000000 11 01 14.0 +24 26 51   1.583   2.547  163.3   6.4   6.9    
2009 02 27 000000 11 00 21.7 +24 33 09   1.583   2.547  163.2   6.5   6.9   
2009 02 28 000000 10 59 29.0 +24 39 15   1.584   2.547  163.0   6.5   6.9   
2009 03 01 000000 10 58 36.1 +24 45 10   1.584   2.548  162.7   6.6   6.9    
2009 03 02 000000 10 57 43.0 +24 50 51   1.585   2.548  162.4   6.8   6.9

Blobrana · L

On November 11th the Dwarf Planet Ceres is at Opposition (Ceres is aligned with the Earth and Sun)
The magnitude 7.2 Dwarf Planet makes its closest approach to Earth on the 12th (at 1.832 AU).

Expand (199kb, 792 x 554)
From November 10th to December 2nd.

Blobrana · L

Ceres makes its best appearance in the next few weeks. On August 12, Ceres will be as visible as it gets when it reaches opposition. Even then, it will be tricky to spot it with binoculars or a small telescope. Your luck will be better if you attend a star party where bigger telescopes may be trained on Ceres. The asteroid is travelling through the constellation Piscis Austrinus (the Southern Fish), which is low in the southern sky.

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-- Edited by Blobrana at 00:32, 2006-07-28

Blobrana · L

The asteroid Ceres is at magnitude 7.3 tonight, in the constellation Libra.
Near to the star delta libra (mag 5)

Date: May 5 20:55 2005

This week, the asteroid Ceres reaches opposition, rising in the east as the sun sets in the west. With little interference from moonlight, you should have a great opportunity to spot Ceres.

Ceres is just under the limit of naked eye visibility (mag. 7), so a small pair of binoculars should show it up clearly.

The asteroid is less than one degree north of the bright star Zubeneschamali (Beta Librae) in the constellation of Libra.
Look to the south-east around 9 or 10 p.m.

Ceres is named after the Roman goddess of agriculture, and is the largest asteroid known, with a diameter of 567 miles.