 When Ceres has an opposition near the perihelion , it can reach a visual magnitude of + 6 @.@ 7 . This is generally regarded as too dim to be seen with the naked eye , but under exceptional viewing conditions a very sharp @-@ sighted person may be able to see it . Ceres was at its brightest ( 6 @.@ 73 ) on 18 December 2012 . The only other asteroids that can reach a similarly bright magnitude are 4 Vesta , and , during rare oppositions near perihelion , 2 Pallas and 7 Iris . At a conjunction Ceres has a magnitude of around + 9 @.@ 3 , which corresponds to the faintest objects visible with 10 × 50 binoculars . It can thus be seen with binoculars whenever it is above the horizon of a fully dark sky . 
 When Ceres <a href='got' title='1'><mark>has</mark></a> an opposition near the perihelion , it can reach a visual magnitude of + 6 @.@ 7 . This is generally regarded as too dim to be seen with the naked eye , but under exceptional viewing conditions a very sharp @-@ sighted person may be able to see it . Ceres was at its brightest ( 6 @.@ 73 ) on 18 December 2012 . The only other asteroids <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a>can reach a similarly bright magnitude <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>are</mark></a>4 Vesta , and , during rare oppositions near perihelion , 2 Pallas and 7 Iris . At a conjunction Ceres <a href='got' title='4'><mark>has</mark></a> a magnitude of around + 9 @.@ 3 , which <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>corresponds</mark></a> to the faintest objects visible with 10 × 50 binoculars . It can thus be seen with binoculars whenever it <a href='drop_aux' title='6'><mark>is</mark></a>above the horizon of a fully dark sky . 
When Ceres got an opposition near da perihelion , it can reach a visual magnitude of + 6 @.@ 7 . This is generally regarded as too dim to b seen w tdanaked eye , but under exceptional viewing conditions a very sharp @-@ sighted person may bbable to see it . Ceres was at its brightest ( 6 @.@ 73 ) on 18 December 2012 . Thdanly other asteroids can reach a similarly bright magnitude 4 Vesta , and , during rare oppositions near perihelion , 2 Pallas and 7 Iris . At a conjunction Ceres got a magnitude of around + 9 @.@ 3 , which correspond to thedaintest objects visible with 10 × 50 binoculars . It can thus be seen with binoculars whenever it above the daizon of a fully dark sky .