Observation details: asteroid Vesta
Daily motion of Vesta
4 Vesta will remain visible until March 17, when it moves too close to the Sun and temporarily disappears from the night sky.
Vesta visibility on 2026-08-18
4 Vesta Visible from early morning until sunrise
Vesta rise and set timetable
| Time | Elevation | |
Moonrise, 21% illuminated  | 09:49 | -5° |
| Astronomical observing session begins | 19:32 | -20° |
| Moonset | 20:26 | -9° |
| Vesta rise | 21:12 | |
| Astronomical observing session ends | 02:51 | 54° |
| Vesta transit | 03:16 | 54° |
| Twilight end | 03:26 | 54° |
| Civil sunrise | 03:59 | 53° |
| Sunrise | 04:28 | 51° |
| Vesta set | 09:20 |
Track Vesta Position Throughout the Night
← 18 August 2026 →
| Time | |
| Altitude | |
| Azimuth |
Shift the map to change the time and observe Vesta changing position in the night sky.
Vesta Description
This asteroid is designated 4 Vesta, main-belt asteroid Its diameter is approximately 526 km. 4 Vesta completes an orbit around the Sun in 3.6 years. It is currently 1.786 AU (267,165,341 km) from Earth, and is located in the constellation Cetus.Current position in the Solar System: Vesta
| Date | Tue, 18 August 2026 |
| Distance from Earth | 1.78055 AU (266,366,489km) |
| Elongation | 117° |
| Angular diameter | " |
| Magnitude | 7.3 |
Finder Chart for Vesta
Double-click to unlock the map.
| Object name | Vesta |
| Field of view | |
| Limiting magnitude | |
| Vesta coordinates | 1.93424, 1.65061 |
| Center coordinates | 1.93424, 1.65061 |
Annual motion of Vesta
| Date | Tue, 18 August 2026 |
| Twilight start | 19:28 |
| Twilight end | 02:44 |
| Twilight duration | 7h 17m |
| Rise | 21:12 |
| Set | 09:20 |
| Elevation at transit | 54° |
| Transit time | 03:16 |
| Equatorial coordinates | RA: 01h 56m 21s", Dec: 01° 36' 36s |
| Magnitude | 7 |
| Constellation | Cetus |
The graph summarizes the object’s annual visibility, daily observing windows and transit times.
The vertical axis shows time of day and the horizontal axis shows the days of the year.
The shaded area marks when the object is above the horizon; the white line marks daily transit. You can also view the detailed annual visibility table.
The vertical axis shows time of day and the horizontal axis shows the days of the year.
The shaded area marks when the object is above the horizon; the white line marks daily transit. You can also view the detailed annual visibility table.
Astrometric and Physical Parameters of 4 Vesta
Coordinates and Visibility
| Right Ascension | 1.93424° |
| Declination | 1.65061° |
| Magnitude | 7.3 |
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Elevation | 42.9° |
| Azimuth | 228.6° |
Physical properties
| Mean radius | 265 |
| Mass | 2.7E+20 |
| Density | 1 |
Orbital parameters
| Sidereal orbital period | 1325.886 |
Data acknowledgment
Physical and orbital parameters come from the Solar System OpenData API , maintained by Le Système Solaire. We thank its contributors for making these data available.
Acknowledgments
Orbital and small-body data are provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Small-Body Database (SBDB) and Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). These resources support accurate positions, orbits and physical characteristics.