SkyEye

Solar System Phenomena — Selected Minor Planets at Opposition in 2020

Positions of selected minor planets at opposition in 2020

The chart shows the positions selected minor planets at the instants of their oppositions (in ecliptic longitude). Only 4 Vesta has the potential to reach naked-eye visibility but the other large asteroids — 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas and 3 Juno — are visible in small- to medium-sized telescopes. The trans-Neptunian dwarf planets require large telescopes and detailed finder charts, and with the possible of exception of 134340 Pluto, are probably beyond the reach of amateur astronomers. Note that many of these minor planets have relatively large inclinations and may stray far from the ecliptic (which is marked on the chart).

13 January 134340 Pluto conjunction
13 January 1 Ceres conjunction
26 March 136472 Makemake opposition in Coma Berenices magnitude +17.1
02 April 3 Juno opposition in Virgo magnitude +9.5
13 April 136199 Eris conjunction
16 April 136108 Haumea opposition in Boötes magnitude +17.3
05 July 4 Vesta conjunction
13 July 2 Pallas opposition in Sagitta magnitude +9.6
15 July 134340 Pluto opposition in Sagittarius magnitude +14.5
28 August 1 Ceres opposition in Aquarius magnitude +7.7
29 September 136472 Makemake conjunction
16 October 136199 Eris opposition in Cetus magnitude +18.7
20 October 136108 Haumea conjunction
08 November 3 Juno conjunction

Sources

Minor planet positions at opposition are provided by the Minor Planet Center.