What telescope do I need to see Massalia?

At magnitude 9.2, Massalia is within reach of a 3-inch (80 mm) telescope from a moderate-Bortle site.

Massalia — Astéroïde dans Virgo

20 Massalia

Asteroid Virgo Visible

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

Carte du Ciel Système Solaire 3D + Liste + Plan

Propriétés

Magnitude 9.2

Description

Type: Asteroid

Distance: 2.408 AU

Orbital Period: 1365.2 days

Diameter: 136 km

Named after the city of Marseille (Massalia in antiquity); S-type; one of the brightest minor planets at opposition (typical mag 9.2).

Position et Identifiants

RA 11h 37m 33.2s

Dec +02° 08' 08.8"

Constellation Virgo

Catalogue Massalia

Wikipedia

Propriétés Physiques

Diamètre 136 km

Masse 3.3e18 kg

Albédo 0.24 (24% reflected)

Rotation 8.1 hours

Taille angulaire 0.1″ (current)

Propriétés orbitales

Demi-grand axe 2.4084 AU (360.3 million km)

Excentricité 0.1438

Inclinaison 0.71°

Période orbitale 3.74 years

Distance 1.536 AU (12.8 light-min)

Élongation 134.0° 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.

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.