1137 Raïssa

Also known as (1137) 1908 BB, Raïssa

asteroid

Picture of the Day · NASA

Jupiter and Venus from Earth

2026-06-07

It was visible around the world. The sunset conjunction of Jupiter (left) and Venus (right) in 2012 was visible almost no matter where you lived on Earth. Anyone on our planet with a clear western horizon at sunset could see them. That year, a creative photographer traveled away from the town lights of Szubin, Poland to photograph a near closest approach of the two planets. The bright planets were then separated by only three degrees and his daughter struck a humorous pose. A faint red sunset still glowed in the background. Jupiter and Venus are together again this week after sunset, passing within a degree of each other about two days from today.

Key facts

Discovered by: G. Neujmin
Discovery site: Simeiz Obs.
Discovery date: 27 October 1929
Named after: Raïssa Maseeva, (Russian astronomer)
Alternative designations: 1929 WB · A908 BB, A910 TB · A924 JA
Minor planet category: main-belt · ( inner ) background

~4 min read

Article

1137 Raïssa (prov. designation: 1929 WB) is a stony background asteroid and slow rotator, approximately 22 kilometers (14 miles) in diameter, located in the inner regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by Grigory Neujmin at Simeiz Observatory in 1929, and named in memory of Raïssa Maseeva, who worked at the Pulkovo Observatory.

Discovery