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Victoria — Asteroid in Taurus

12 Victoria

Magnitude 9.8m Asteroid Taurus Visible
Rendered preview of Victoria from the Nightbase orrery, lit from the current Sun direction with the terminator visible.
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Properties

Magnitude 9.8
Type: Asteroid
Distance: 2.334 AU
Orbital Period: 1302.3 days
Diameter: 115 km
Roman goddess of victory; S-type; one of the brightest minor planets at opposition (typical mag 9.8).

Position & Identifiers

RA 06h 04m 26.8s
Dec +19° 37' 17.6"
Constellation Taurus
Catalog Victoria
Wikipedia

Physical Properties

Diameter 115 km
Mass 2.0e18 kg
Albedo 0.16 (16% reflected)
Rotation 8.7 hours
Angular Size 0.0″ (current)

Orbital Properties

Semi-major Axis 2.3338 AU (349.1 million km)
Eccentricity 0.2199
Inclination 8.37°
Orbital Period 3.57 years
Distance 3.740 AU (31.1 light-min)
Elongation 7.7° 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.

11.012.0JulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunpeak 10.8 · 10 FebnowMagnitude↑ 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 January , February , March
Visibility Telescope
Where to Look In asteroid belt
Notes Roman goddess of victory; S-type; one of the brightest minor planets at opposition (typical mag 9.8).

Discovery

Discovered by John Russell Hind
Date 1850-09-13

Current Ephemeris

3.740
AU from Earth
559.6M
km
0.0″
Angular Size
8°
Elongation

How easy to spot?

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Telescope Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
80mm refr. Medium+ Medium Hard+
150mm Newt. Easy Medium+ Medium+
C8 203mm Easy Easy Medium+
Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

Medium on Seestar S50

Visibility

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Community Photos (1)

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

Rendered preview of Victoria 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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