The Sky Today on Wednesday, September 30: Asteroid Nausikaa at opposition

The 192nd asteroid discovered in the main belt is now at its best, located within a diamond shape of brighter field stars. | Published: September 30, 2026 Look for asteroid Nausikaa at opposition on September 30, within a diamond of slightly brighter field stars in the constellation Pisces. Credit: Alison Klesman (via TheSkyX) Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column. September 29: Ganymede transits Jupiter Asteroid 192 Nausikaa reaches opposition at 6 P.M. EDT in the constellation Pisces, just north of Saturn and Neptune’s position on the sky. About 62 miles (100 kilometers) wide, Nausikaa is a rough-edged, slightly oblong rocky body in the inner region of the main belt. It now shines at magnitude 8.5, within reach of binoculars or any telescope. The nearest bright star is 3rd-magnitude Algenib (Gamma [γ] Pegasi), which is just over 6.5° north of the asteroid. Tonight, Nausikaa sits within a diamond formed by four background stars of varying brightness, from about 5th to 8th magnitude. It is moving westward, shifting very slightly with respect to this pattern over time. Because it is at opposition, Nausikaa is visible all night, standing highest (in the south) around midnight. The best time to observe it will be earlier in the evening before or shortly after moonrise, although even after rising, the gibbous Moon shouldn’t diminish the view too significantly. Sunrise: 6:55 A.M.Sunset: 6:44 P.M.Moonrise: 8:52 P.M.Moonset: 11:39 A.M.Moon Phase: Waning gibbous (77%) *Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 10 P.M. local time from the same location. Alison Klesman is senior editor of Astronomy magazine. She holds a Ph.D. in astronomy and has studied a variety of topics, from minor planets to supermassive black holes.