{"id":50873,"date":"2023-11-02T12:35:23","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T12:35:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/9a9bfa5a-ff89-40ee-8866-1a326fd04161"},"modified":"2023-11-02T13:32:30","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T13:32:30","slug":"asteroid-18-melpomene-could-reach-binocular-brightness-this-month","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/asteroid-18-melpomene-could-reach-binocular-brightness-this-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Asteroid 18 Melpomene could reach binocular brightness this month"},"content":{"rendered":"

Large, bright main-belt asteroid Melpomene is a binocular possibility <\/p>

By Pete Lawrence\n <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 02 November 2023 at 12:35 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Minor planet 18 Melpomene reaches opposition<\/a> on 5 November when it can be found in the northwest corner of Eridanus, the River, shining at mag. 8.2.<\/p>

At this brightness, it\u2019s within binocular range and as it doesn\u2019t move an enormous distance throughout the month, it should be relatively easy to keep tabs on. \u00a0<\/p>

Locating Melpomene from Eridanus will be a tricky task as the constellation is long, sprawling and mostly faint.<\/p>

If you do try, Melpomene\u2019s short November track describes a south-pointing arc between the three stars Rho1<\/sup> (\u03c11<\/sup>), Rho2<\/sup> (\u03c12<\/sup>) and Rho3<\/sup> (\u03c13<\/sup>) Eridani and 5 Eridani.<\/p>

An easier method of location may be, at the start of November, to extend the line from Lambda (\u03bb) Ceti and Menkar (Alpha (\u03b1) Ceti) for 1.4 times.<\/p>

Find out what comets and asteroids are in the sky tonight<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Chart showing the location of asteroid 18 Melpomene in November 2023. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Facts about asteroid 18 Melpomene<\/strong><\/h2>

Melpomene is a large main-belt asteroid<\/a> that fits within a tri-axial ellipsoid measuring 170 x 155 x 129km. <\/p>

Its orbit brings it as close as 268.5 million km (1.8 AU) from the Sun at perihelion and out as far as 418.4 million km (2.8 AU) at aphelion.<\/p>

It takes 1,270.6 days (3.5 years) to complete each orbit.<\/p>

Melpomene is an S-type, silicaceous asteroid with a stony composition.<\/p>

Melpomene is relatively bright and varies in magnitude between 7.5 at favourable oppositions and 12.0 at unfavourable ones.<\/p>

During 2023 it\u2019s closer to the favourable end of this range, starting the month at mag. 8.2, maintaining 8.2 at opposition and ending it at mag. 8.7.\u00a0<\/p>

Melpomene was discovered by English astronomer John Russell Hind on 24 June 1852.<\/p>

Following the occultation of a star on 11 December 1978, it was believed to have its own moon.<\/p>

Follow-up observations by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1993 revealed the asteroid\u2019s elongated shape, but failed to detect the suspected moon.<\/p>

Thus it seems Melpomene is alone.<\/p>

This guide originally appeared in the November 2023 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.<\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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