406 Erna
Also known as (406) Erna, Erna
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
- A. Charlois
- Discovery site
- Nice Obs.
- Discovery date
- 22 August 1895
- Pronunciation
- German: [ ˈɛʁnaː ]
- Named after
- Erna Bidschof , (grand-daughter of J. Palisa )
- Alternative designations
- 1895 CB · 1949 KD 1 , A903 DA · A905 OB
Article
406 Erna, provisional designation 1895 CB, is a dark asteroid of the background population in the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 46 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by French astronomer Auguste Charlois at Nice Observatory on 22 August 1895. The asteroid was presumably named after Erna Bidschof, the granddaughter of Johann Palisa.
Orbit and classification