16 Psyche at Mag 9.9 last night in Aquaris © Dr. Kenneth M Beck
Centre of this photo. 16 Psyche. An asteroid. From my balcony. Very quick. Not easy. Training. Getting better. More to come. 16 Psyche is one of the ten most massive asteroids in the main belt, and is the most massive M-type asteroid.
Discovered by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis on March 17, 1852 it is named after the Greek mythological wife of the god Eros. Psyche is estimated to be at least 200 km in diameter, and is thought to be composed almost entirely of nickel-iron.
It is possible that Pysche is the remnant of a larger, differentiated body that was subsequently destroyed by a collision. However, since Psyche does not belong to an asteroid family, such an event would have had to take place early in the formation of the Solar System.
20% opacity star field image atop star chart devoid of 16 Psyche
Star chart devoid of 16 Psyche
Star field image of 16 Psyche
