3908 Nyx

Also known as Nyx

Amor and Mars-crosser 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: Hans-Emil Schuster
Discovery date: 6 August 1980
Pronunciation: / ˈ n ɪ k s / "Nyx" . Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d.
Named after: Nyx
Alternative designations: 1980 PA; 1988 XB 1
Minor planet category: Amor ; Mars-crosser

~1 min read

Article

3908 Nyx is an Amor and Mars-crosser asteroid. It was discovered by Hans-Emil Schuster on August 6, 1980, and is named after Nyx, the Greek goddess of the night, after which Pluto's moon Nix is also named. It is 1–2 km (0.62–1.24 mi) in diameter and is a V-type asteroid, meaning that it may be a fragment of the asteroid 4 Vesta.

Observations