Vesta!

We are currently near opposition with Vesta, the fourth asteroid discovered and the second most massive object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. This huge lumpy rock was discovered in 1802, as you might have heard at Sandra Macika's talk on Thursday. Right now, since it's near its closest to Earth, it's very bright and easy to find.

It's even easier to find, because it's right near the very bright and very beautiful white and gold double star Algieba, in the constellation Leo. Here's how to get there.

First, find the main stars in the constellation Leo. It's to the east of Mars, in Cancer, which should be very easy to spot, and north and to the west of Saturn, which is in Virgo. See this map, derived from the March 2010 SkyMaps sky map:



Next, find Algieba, aka Gamma Leonis. From there, Vesta is very easy to find using binoculars or a telescope with very low magnification. This chart, created with Starry Night, is for tonight:



Vesta is not moving very fast through this field, so it should remain easy to spot using this chart for a few more days - you will notice its position among the "fixed stars" changes.

Sky and Telescope have a great observing guide to allow you to follow Vesta's path through the sky in coming weeks. Print it out and keep it handy for your observing sessions. Download it here.

Enjoy! Make sure to share your observations with the group.

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