317 Roxane
Also known as (317) Roxane, Roxane
main-belt 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
- Auguste Charlois
- Discovery date
- 11 September 1891
- Pronunciation
- French: [ ʁɔksan ]
- Named after
- Roxana
- Alternative designations
- A891 RD
- Minor planet category
- Main belt
Article
317 Roxane is an asteroid from the asteroid belt approximately 19 km in diameter. It was discovered by French astronomer Auguste Charlois from Nice on 11 September 1891. The name was chosen by F. Bidschof, an assistant at the Vienna Observatory, at Charlois' request; Bidschof chose to name it after Roxana, the wife of Alexander the Great, and at first used the spelling "Roxana".
This asteroid is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 2.29 AU with a low eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.086 and an orbital period of 3.46 years. The orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 3.46° relative to the plane of the ecliptic. Infrared measurements show a diameter of 18.6 km. It is classified as an E-type asteroid and has a rotation period of 8.169 hours.