Minor Planet (7) Iris

Last night the asteroid Iris was in opposition in Aries, an opportunity not to be missed to observe my first asteroid. Magnitude was +6.8 so it would not be difficult to spot. Starhopping from the nearby Pleiades I found the target near the +8.7 star TYC 178400890-1. Iris was discovered by the astronomer J.R. Hind in 1847 so what better way to round off the night by watching R Leporis, Hind's Crimson Star, a magnificent Mira type variable with an unreal deep red colour.