What telescope do I need to see Melpomene?

At magnitude 8.7, Melpomene is within reach of a 3-inch (80 mm) telescope from a moderate-Bortle site.

Melpomene — Asteroid in Sagittarius

18 Melpomene

Asteroid Sagittarius Sichtbar

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

Sternkarte 3D-Sonnensystem + Liste + Plan

Eigenschaften

Helligkeit 8.7

Beschreibung

Type: Asteroid

Distance: 2.296 AU

Orbital Period: 1270.4 days

Diameter: 140 km

Greek muse of tragedy; S-type; one of the brightest minor planets at opposition (typical mag 8.7).

Position & Bezeichnungen

RA 19h 23m 02.6s

Dec -10° 19' 36.0"

Sternbild Sagittarius

Katalog Melpomene

Wikipedia

Physikalische Eigenschaften

Durchmesser 140 km

Masse 3.6e18 kg

Albedo 0.18 (18% reflected)

Rotation 11.6 hours

Winkeldurchmesser 0.1″ (current)

Bahneigenschaften

Große Halbachse 2.2956 AU (343.4 million km)

Exzentrizität 0.2180

Bahnneigung 10.13°

Umlaufzeit 3.48 years

Entfernung 1.858 AU (15.5 light-min)

Elongation 108.6° 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.