Vesta visible with binoculars and small telescopes during October 2015

Vesta the brightest asteroid has just passed opposition (Sep 29th) and remains bright enough during October to be easily seen with binoculars or small scopes. The asteroid is visible as soon as it's dark enough and remains so for most of the night as it moves retrograde among the stars of western Cetus. At favourable oppositions Vesta can even be glimpsed with the naked eye but on this occasion it didn't quite reach that, peaking at mag. +6.2

Discovery

Vesta was the fourth asteroid to be discovered on March 29, 1807 by German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers. Although it's the third largest body in the main asteroid belt after Ceres and Pallas it appears the brightest due to its more reflective surface and closer approach's to Earth.

Location

During October, Vesta appears above the southeast / east horizon in early evening. It cuts through the inside corner of a triangle of stars consisting of iota Cet (ι Cet - mag. +3.6), beta Cet (β Cet - mag. +2.0) and eta Cet (η Cet - mag +3.5) as the month progresses. Of the three stars the asteroid is positioned closest to ι Cet passing less than 2 degrees south of it around the middle of the month.

The star charts below show the location of Vesta. Throughout October it remains easily visible with binoculars despite dimming from mag. +6.2 to +6.8.

Finder chart for Vesta during October 2015 - pdf format (credit:- freestarcharts)

Vesta Data Table - October 2015