Asteroid 2 Pallas Opposition in Cetus and the October 8 Field Star Transit
This week, asteroid 2 Pallas reaches opposition as it moves through the constellation Cetus. Astronomy magazine senior editor Alison Klesman reported that the main-belt world recently achieved opposition and is currently passing near a field star of nearly identical brightness, offering backyard astronomers a straightforward target for binoculars and small telescopes.
Observing Pallas and Using Saturn as a Guide
While visible all night, Pallas climbs to an altitude of 20 degrees above the southwestern horizon by 10 P.M. local daylight time, reaching its highest point around 1 A.M. The asteroid glows at magnitude 8.3 and sits approximately 5.4 degrees southeast of magnitude 3.5 Eta Ceti in central Cetus. Observers can locate the minor planet by using Saturn—positioned in northern Cetus—as a navigational anchor, dropping roughly 19 degrees down from the naked-eye planet toward the horizon.
Tracking the Slow Motion Against Magnitude 8.2 Star
Pallas sits roughly a quarter of a degree northeast of an 8.2-magnitude field star. The asteroid moves slowly southwest at a rate of only a few arcminutes per night, closing the gap over the course of the evening. Capturing a photograph every few hours reveals the shifting position. By the following night, Pallas and the star swap positions entirely, with the asteroid pulling away to the southwest.
Local Ephemeris Data for October 8
- Sunrise: 7:03 A.M. local time
- Sunset: 6:31 P.M. local time
- Moonrise: 4:53 A.M. local time
- Moonset: 5:26 P.M. local time
- Moon Phase: Waning crescent at 3% illumination (measured at 10 P.M.)
Times are provided in local time from 40° N 90° W.
