1508 Kemi
Also known as Kemi, (1508) Kemi, 1938 UP
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.
© Marek Nikodem (PPSAE) · via NASA APOD
Key facts
- Discovered by
- H. Alikoski
- Discovery site
- Turku Obs.
- Discovery date
- 21 October 1938
- Named after
- Kemi and Kemi River , (Finnish town and river )
- Alternative designations
- 1938 UP · 1935 FA, 1938 UO
- Minor planet category
- Mars-crosser
~4 min read
Article
1508 Kemi (provisional designation 1938 UP) is an eccentric, carbonaceous asteroid and one of the largest Mars-crossers, approximately 17 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by Heikki Alikoski at Turku Observatory in 1938, the asteroid was later named after the Finnish town of Kemi and the Kemi River.
Discovery