What telescope do I need to see Nausikaa?

At magnitude 9.8, Nausikaa is within reach of a 3-inch (80 mm) telescope from a moderate-Bortle site.

Nausikaa — Asteroid in Pisces

192 Nausikaa

Magnitude 9.8^m Asteroid Pisces (Psc) Visible

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

Star Map 3D Solar System + List + Plan

Properties

Magnitude 9.8

Description

Type: Asteroid

Distance: 2.403 AU

Orbital Period: 1360.9 days

Diameter: 99 km

Princess from Homer's Odyssey, daughter of King Alcinous; S-type; one of the brightest minor planets at opposition (typical mag 9.8).

Position & Identifiers

RA 00h 35m 14.5s

Dec +07° 51' 27.1"

Constellation Pisces (Psc)

Catalog Nausikaa

Wikipedia

Physical Properties

Diameter 99 km

Mass 1.3e18 kg

Albedo 0.33 (33% reflected)

Rotation 13.6 hours

Angular Size 0.2″ (current)

Orbital Properties

Semi-major Axis 2.4034 AU (359.5 million km)

Eccentricity 0.2453

Inclination 6.80°

Orbital Period 3.73 years

Distance 0.863 AU (7.2 light-min)

Elongation 155.3° Near opposition

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.