Q11546

Also known as (1011) Laodamia, Laodamia

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: K. Reinmuth
Discovery site: Heidelberg Obs.
Discovery date: 5 January 1924
Pronunciation: / ˌ l eɪ . oʊ d ə ˈ m aɪ ə /
Named after: Λαοδάμεια Lāodamīa , (Greek mythology)
Alternative designations: 1924 PK · 1939 FG, 1958 OC

Article

Laodamia (minor planet designation: 1011 Laodamia), provisional designation 1924 PK, is a stony asteroid and sizable Mars-crosser near the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7.5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 January 1924, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in southwest Germany. The asteroid was named after Laodamia from Greek mythology.

Orbit and classification