Thursday, April 18, 2024

Asteroid Juno Stands Still (all night)

On Thursday, April 18, the main belt asteroid designated (3) Juno will complete a westward retrograde loop that began in mid-January and return to regular eastward motion through the stars of Leo. Tonight, the bright waxing gibbous moon will be located a couple of finger widths above (or 2 degrees north of) the faint magnitude 9.9 asteroid, so delay your viewing of Juno
for a few nights to allow the moon to move away. Once the moon isn't around, aim your binoculars a finger's width above (one degree north of) the medium-bright star Rho Leonis. As April continues into May, the asteroid
will swing east and pass a medium-bright star named 53 Leonis.

(Data courtesy Starry Night)
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* Origin: CJ's Place, Orange City FL > cjsplace.thruhere.net (21:2/156)