![\"kids](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kids-stargazing.jpg\")
Credit: Yoshiyoshi Hirokawa \/ Getty<\/p>\nTwo of the largest objects in the asteroid belt, Vesta and Pallas, reach opposition (opposite the Sun in the sky) in October 2026.<\/p>\n
Both are located in a similar part of the sky, in the constellation of Cetus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pallas begins the month immediately north of mag. +5.2 47 Ceti. It then tracks southwest, passing the mid-point between mag. +3.5 Tau (\u03c4) Ceti and Diphda (Beta (\u03b2) Ceti) on 20 October.<\/p>\n
Throughout this period, Pallas remains small-telescope bright, appearing at mag. +8.2 on 1 October and only fading to mag. +8.5 by the end of the month.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vesta can be found farther to the north and is bright enough to be seen through binoculars.<\/p>\n
Credit: Yoshiyoshi Hirokawa \/ Getty<\/p>\n
![\"Saturn,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/pallas-vesta-october-2026.jpg\")
Saturn, Pallas and Vesta all reach opposition in October 2026 month within the constellation Cetus. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/p>\n
On a single evening, Vesta \u2013 and Pallas for that matter \u2013 will look just like unmoving stars, so the way to reveal that you\u2019ve actually seen them is to record their positions either in a sketch or photographically and compare your results over several nights.<\/p>\n
If you have the right objects, they will appear to move against the fixed starry background.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At this time, Vesta will appear at mag. +6.8. Unlike Pallas\u2019s movement across the reasonably easy to identify body of Cetus, Vesta is moving along a nondescript region between Cetus and Pisces.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, its movement isn\u2019t too large, this bright asteroid only travelling 7.2\u00b0 throughout the entire month, a fraction less than Pallas, which moves 8.7\u00b0.<\/p>\n
With these two asteroids sitting relatively near one another in the sky, there\u2019s an interesting opportunity to photograph them both in the same field of view.<\/p>\n
For this you\u2019ll need a regular camera with a lens of around 65mm focal length or lower.<\/p>\n
Exposures don\u2019t need to be too deep, just allowing stars of around ninth magnitude to be shown. If you can achieve this, both asteroids should be relatively easy to record.\u00a0<\/p>\n