65 Cybele

Also known as (65) Cybele, Cybele

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.

Key facts

Discovered by: E. W. Tempel
Discovery site: Marseille Obs.
Discovery date: 8 March 1861
Pronunciation: / ˈ s ɪ b ə l iː /
Named after: Cybele , (Hellenistic deity)
Alternative designations: 1949 YQ

~5 min read

Article

65 Cybele is one of the largest asteroids in the Solar System. It is located in the outer asteroid belt. It is thought to be a remnant primordial body. It gives its name to the Cybele group of asteroids that orbit outward from the Sun from the 2:1 orbital resonance with Jupiter. The X-type asteroid has a relatively short rotation period of 6.0814 hours. It was discovered by Wilhelm Tempel in 1861, and named after Cybele, the earth goddess.

Discovery and naming