325 Heidelberga
Also known as (325) Heidelberga, Heidelberga
outer 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
- Max Wolf
- Discovery date
- 4 March 1892
- Pronunciation
- / ˌ h aɪ d əl ˈ b ɜːr ɡ ə /
- Named after
- Heidelberg
- Minor planet category
- Main belt
- Adjectives
- Heidelergian / ˌ h aɪ d əl ˈ b ɜːr dʒ i ə n , - ɡ i ə n /
~1 min read
Article
325 Heidelberga is a large main belt asteroid that was discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf on 4 March 1892 in Heidelberg. It is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 3.21 AU with an eccentricity (oval shape) of 0.159. The orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 8.55° to the ecliptic.
Based upon its spectrum, 325 Heidelberga is classified as an M-type asteroid. No absorption features have been detected with certainty, indicating it most likely has a nickel-iron or enstatite chondrite composition. A weak feature in the near infrared spectrum indicates the presence of low-iron orthopyroxene on the asteroid surface.