What telescope do I need to see Herculina?

At magnitude 8.5, Herculina is within reach of a 3-inch (80 mm) telescope from a moderate-Bortle site.

Herculina — Asteroide en Pisces

532 Herculina

Asteroid Pisces Visible

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

Mapa Estelar Sistema Solar 3D + Lista + Plan

Propiedades

Magnitud 8.5

Descripción

Type: Asteroid

Distance: 2.770 AU

Orbital Period: 1683.9 days

Diameter: 222 km

Feminine of Hercules; S-type; brightest non-cataloged main-belt asteroid by peak opposition magnitude (~8.5). Fast rotator (9.4 h).

Posición e Identificadores

RA 00h 44m 33.6s

Dec -08° 36' 43.9"

Constelación Pisces

Catálogo Herculina

Wikipedia

Propiedades Físicas

Diámetro 222 km

Masa 1.0e19 kg

Albedo 0.20 (20% reflected)

Rotación 9.4 hours

Tamaño angular 0.1″ (current)

Propiedades orbitales

Semieje mayor 2.7700 AU (414.4 million km)

Excentricidad 0.1802

Inclinación 16.30°

Período orbital 4.61 years

Distancia 4.038 AU (33.6 light-min)

Elongación 35.0° Moderate

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.