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Davida — Asteroid in Leo

511 Davida

Asteroid Leo Visible
Rendered preview of Davida from the Nightbase orrery, lit from the current Sun direction with the terminator visible.
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Properties

Magnitude 9.4
Type: Asteroid
Distance: 3.164 AU
Orbital Period: 2055.3 days
Diameter: 311 km
Named for astronomer David Peck Todd; C-type, seventh-largest main-belt body. Outer-belt orbit keeps it dim despite great size.

Position & Identifiers

RA 10h 28m 43.6s
Dec +27° 24' 28.8"
Constellation Leo
Catalog Davida
Wikipedia

Physical Properties

Diameter 311 km
Mass 3.8e19 kg
Albedo 0.05 (5% reflected)
Rotation 5.1 hours
Angular Size 0.2″ (current)

Orbital Properties

Semi-major Axis 3.1636 AU (473.3 million km)
Eccentricity 0.1896
Inclination 15.95°
Orbital Period 5.63 years
Distance 2.527 AU (21.0 light-min)
Elongation 108.0° 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.

11.012.0MayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprpeak 10.6 · 30 AprnowMagnitude↑ brighter

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 astronomer David Peck Todd; C-type, seventh-largest main-belt body. Outer-belt orbit keeps it dim despite great size.

Discovery

Discovered by Raymond Smith Dugan
Date 1903-05-30

Current Ephemeris

2.527
AU from Earth
378.0M
km
0.2″
Angular Size
108°
Elongation

How easy to spot?

Sign in and configure your equipment and default location to see a personalized row.
Telescope Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
80mm refr. Medium+ Medium+ Medium
150mm Newt. Easy Easy Medium+
C8 203mm Easy Easy Easy
Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

Easy on Seestar S50

Visibility

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Community Photos (1)

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

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

Credit: Nightbase orrery render.

Skybred Apr 27, 2026

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