The Backyard Astronomer Podcast

E.63-A Fire in the Asteroid Belt

May 11, 2026·7 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Long before spacecraft visited the asteroid belt, astronomers searched the skies for the remnants of a lost planet. In May’s Backyard Astronomer, we explore the discovery of 4 Vesta—a massive protoplanet, survivor of the early Solar System, and one of the brightest asteroids visible from Earth. This month, Vesta rises alongside Saturn and Neptune in the pre-dawn sky, offering backyard astronomers a chance to track a world in motion.   #Astronomy #Space #STEM #STEMEducation #NASA Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.Manzanita-Insurance.com www.ManzanitaAccounting.com www.ManzanitaInsuranceAndAccounting.com www.BackyardAstroAZ.com

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