Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand The Brighter Asteroids in 2008:     (15) Eunomia

Chart showing path of Eunomia from November 2007 to February 2008      Positions of Eunomia

Eunomia brightened to magnitude 9.5 at the beginning of November 2007 and to 9.0 a month later. It is at opposition early in 2008, on January 10, when it will have a magnitude 8.2.

In October and up to mid November 2007 the asteroid is in Gemini: on October 22 Eunomia will be only 48' from the star Pollux, βGem, magnitude 1.2. Pollux is the brightest star in Gemini. On November 14 Eunomia moves into Cancer, but 10 days later it is at a stationary point after which it moves back into Gemini on December 1. It then remains in Gemini through the time it is at opposition on January 10 and when at its second stationary point on February 26. By then it will have faded again to magnitude 9.5.

Eunomia will be well north of the equator throughout this opposition period and so be low for observers at mid latitudes in the southern hemisphere. It will be rising after midnight (NZDT) for New Zealand observers until early December.

Eunomia's orbital period is 4.30 years, its distance from the Sun varying between 2.15 and 3.14 AU, with an eccentricity of .186. Thus at the most favourable oppositions Eunomia can be about 1.15 AU from the Earth when it will have a magnitude about 7.9. At its opposition in 2008 it will be 1.48 AU from the Earth.  The orbit is inclined at 11.750° to the ecliptic.  Eunomia has a diameter of about 272 km, making it about the eighth biggest asteroid.

Eunomia was discovered in 1851 by A de Gasparis at Naples.

RASNZ home page

Path of Eunomia from late October 2007 to February 2008.

The chart is a southern hemisphere view with north at the bottom and east to the right. Stars to magnitude 9.5 are shown, which is about the limiting magnitude of 50 mm aperture binoculars. Magnitudes are marked (with no decimal point) for stars brighter than magnitude 7.

The circle on the chart represents a field of view 5° in diameter, a fairly typical field of view for binoculars.

Chart generated with the assistance of GUIDE 7.0 produced by Project Pluto.

Positional data for Eunomia.

Top of Page       Other Asteroids       RASNZ Home Page