What telescope do I need to see Davida?

At magnitude 9.4, Davida is within reach of a 3-inch (80 mm) telescope from a moderate-Bortle site.

Davida — Asteroid in Virgo

511 Davida

Magnitude 9.4^m Asteroid Virgo (Vir) Visible

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

Star Map 3D Solar System + List + Plan

Properties

Magnitude 9.4

Description

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 12h 41m 30.0s

Dec +08° 58' 11.6"

Constellation Virgo (Vir)

Catalog Davida

Wikipedia

Physical Properties

Diameter 311 km

Mass 3.8e19 kg

Albedo 0.05 (5% reflected)

Rotation 5.1 hours

Angular Size 0.1″ (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 4.146 AU (34.5 light-min)

Elongation 22.7° Near Sun

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.