Q132276
Also known as (959) Arne, Arne
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
- K. Reinmuth
- Discovery site
- Heidelberg Obs.
- Discovery date
- 30 September 1921
- Named after
- Arne Asplind, (son of Bror Asplind )
- Alternative designations
- A921 SE · 1927 YD, 1952 DD 2 · 1960 OF, A916 YB · 1921 KF
- Minor planet category
Article
959 Arne (prov. designation: A921 SE or 1921 KF) is a background asteroid and slow rotator, approximately 52 kilometers (32 miles) in diameter, located in the outer region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory on 30 September 1921. The X-type asteroid has an exceptionally long rotation period of 123.7 hours. It was named after Arne Asplind, son of Swedish astronomer Bror Asplind (1890–1954).
Orbit and classification