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 em Pisces

532 Herculina

Asteroid Pisces Visível

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

Mapa Estelar Sistema Solar 3D + Lista + Plano

Propriedades

Magnitude 8.5

Descrição

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).

Posição e Identificadores

RA 00h 44m 33.6s

Dec -08° 36' 43.9"

Constelação Pisces

Catálogo Herculina

Wikipedia

Propriedades Físicas

Diâmetro 222 km

Massa 1.0e19 kg

Albedo 0.20 (20% reflected)

Rotação 9.4 hours

Tamanho angular 0.1″ (current)

Propriedades orbitais

Semieixo maior 2.7700 AU (414.4 million km)

Excentricidade 0.1802

Inclinação 16.30°

Período orbital 4.61 years

Distância 4.038 AU (33.6 light-min)

Elongação 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.