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Julia — Asteroid in Aries

89 Julia

Asteroid Aries Visible
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Properties

Magnitude 9.4
Type: Asteroid
Distance: 2.551 AU
Orbital Period: 1488.1 days
Diameter: 145 km
Named after Saint Julia of Corsica; S-type; one of the brightest minor planets at opposition (typical mag 9.4).

Position & Identifiers

RA 02h 40m 40.3s
Dec +27° 13' 04.1"
Constellation Aries
Catalog Julia

Physical Properties

Diameter 145 km
Mass 4.0e18 kg
Albedo 0.19 (19% reflected)
Rotation 11.4 hours
Angular Size 0.1″ (current)

Orbital Properties

Semi-major Axis 2.5508 AU (381.6 million km)
Eccentricity 0.1838
Inclination 16.12°
Orbital Period 4.07 years
Distance 3.187 AU (26.5 light-min)
Elongation 12.8° 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.

10.010.511.0MayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprpeak 10.0 · 10 JannowMagnitude↑ 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 December , January , February
Visibility Telescope
Where to Look In asteroid belt
Notes Named after Saint Julia of Corsica; S-type; one of the brightest minor planets at opposition (typical mag 9.4).

Discovery

Discovered by Édouard Stephan
Date 1866-08-06

Current Ephemeris

3.187
AU from Earth
476.8M
km
0.1
Angular Size
13°
Elongation

How easy to spot?

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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 Julia from the Nightbase orrery, lit from the current Sun direction with the terminator visible.

Rendered preview of Julia 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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