What telescope do I need to see Bamberga?

At magnitude 8.0, Bamberga is easy in 7×50 or 10×50 binoculars.

Bamberga — Asteroid in Sagittarius

324 Bamberga

Magnitude 8.0^m Asteroid Sagittarius (Sgr) Visible

Rendered preview of Bamberga from the Nightbase orrery, lit from the current Sun direction with the terminator visible.

Star Map 3D Solar System + List + Plan

Properties

Magnitude 8.0

Description

Type: Asteroid

Distance: 2.682 AU

Orbital Period: 1604.6 days

Diameter: 230 km

Named for the Bavarian city of Bamberg; CP-type, slow rotator (29 h). Highly eccentric orbit (e=0.34) brings it to mag 8.0 at perihelic oppositions — among the brightest non-top-10 asteroids when favourably placed.

Position & Identifiers

RA 20h 02m 29.6s

Dec -22° 51' 46.3"

Constellation Sagittarius (Sgr)

Catalog Bamberga

Wikipedia

Physical Properties

Diameter 230 km

Mass 1.0e19 kg

Albedo 0.06 (6% reflected)

Rotation 29.4 hours

Angular Size 0.3″ (current)

Orbital Properties

Semi-major Axis 2.6824 AU (401.3 million km)

Eccentricity 0.3404

Inclination 11.10°

Orbital Period 4.39 years

Distance 1.140 AU (9.5 light-min)

Elongation 131.2° Good

Brightness Forecast (next 12 months)

Apparent magnitude as Earth–asteroid distance changes through the year. The peak marks the brightest moment in the window — usually around opposition, when the asteroid is closest and fully illuminated.

Computed from JPL orbital elements via m = H + 5·log₁₀(r·Δ). Phase-function correction is omitted, so curves trace distance variation only — accurate within a few tenths for main-belt asteroids; coarse for fast-moving NEOs near Earth.

Observing Tips

Best Months September , October , November

Visibility Telescope

Where to Look In asteroid belt

Notes Named for the Bavarian city of Bamberg; CP-type, slow rotator (29 h). Highly eccentric orbit (e=0.34) brings it to mag 8.0 at perihelic oppositions — among the brightest non-top-10 asteroids when favourably placed.