Asteroid Vesta Observation Details
Vesta Daily Motion
4 Vesta will become visible in June, 25. After being too close to the Sun to observe, it will reappear in the night sky. Starting from June, 25, 4 Vesta can be seen again, providing a good opportunity for observation.
Vesta Visibility on May 20
4 Vesta is visible in the early morning sky until sunrise
Vesta Rise and Set Timetable
| Time | Elevation | |
Moon Rise, 7.2% illuminated  | 06:23 | 46° |
| Astrosession begin | 19:59 | -56° |
| Moon Set | 22:03 | -42° |
| Vesta rise | 01:43 | |
| Astrosession end | 02:09 | 5° |
| Twighlight end | 02:49 | 13° |
| Civil sunrise | 03:25 | 20° |
| Sunrise | 03:56 | 25° |
| Vesta transit | 07:31 | 49° |
Track Vesta Position Throughout the Night
← Wed, 20 May 2026 →
| Time | |
| Altitude | |
| Azimuth |
Shift the map to change the time and observe Vesta changing position in the night sky.
Vesta Description
Vesta, designated as 4 Vesta, is a main-belt asteroid, located between Mars and Jupiter in the solar system. With a diameter of 526 km, 4 Vesta completes its orbit around the Sun in 3.6 years. At the moment, 4 Vesta is 2.729 AU (408,252,589 km) from Earth, and it is located in the constellation Pisces.Current position of Vesta in Solar System
| Date | Wed, 20 May 2026 |
| Distance from Earth to Vesta | 2.726 AU (407,803,796km) |
| Elongation | 57° |
| Angular diameter | " |
| Magnitude | 8.1 |
Finder Chart for Vesta
Double-click to unlock the map.
| Object name | 4 Vesta |
| Field of view | |
| Limiting magnitude | |
| 4 Vesta coordinates | 0.27388933290631, -3.8105043435657 |
| Center coordinates | 0.27388933290631, -3.8105043435657 |
Annual motion of Vesta
| Date | Wed, 20 May 2026 |
| Twighlight start | 19:54 |
| Twighlight end | 02:03 |
| Twighlight duration | 6h 10m |
| Rise | 01:44 |
| Set | 13:20 |
| Elevation at transit | 49° |
| Transit time | 07:32 |
| Equatorial coordinates | RA: 00h 18m 00s", Dec: -3° 40' 39s |
| Magnitude | 8 |
| Constellation | Pisces |
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a Vesta, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the Vesta is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit. You can also view detailed visibility information in a dedicated table, including exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the Vesta is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit. You can also view detailed visibility information in a dedicated table, including exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.
Astrometric & Physical Parameters of 4 Vesta
Coordinates & Visibility
| Right Ascension | 0.27388933290631° |
| Declination | -3.8105043435657° |
| Magnitude | 8.1 |
| Constellation | Pisces |
| Elevation | 20.4° |
| Azimuth | 111.9° |
Physical properties
| Mean radius in kilometres | 265 |
| Boby mass in kg | 2.7E+20 |
| Body density in g.cm3 | 1 |
Orbital Parameters
| Sideral orbital time for body around another one (the Sun or a planet) in earth day | 1325.886 |
Data Acknowledgment
Our solar system data—including planetary physical and orbital parameters—comes from the Solar System OpenData API , maintained by Le Système Solaire. We thank Christophe and the contributors for making this open data available.
Acknowledgments
We acknowledge NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for providing essential data on asteroids and comets through their Small-Body Database (SBDB) and Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). Their continuous efforts in tracking and cataloging these celestial bodies make it possible to offer accurate and up-to-date information on their positions, orbits, and physical characteristics.