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
- L. Volta
- Discovery site
- Pino Torinese Obs.
- Discovery date
- 11 February 1931
- Pronunciation
- / æ l f ə ˈ t ɜːr n ə /
- Named after
- Nuceria Alfaterna , (ancient Roman town)
- Alternative designations
- 1931 CA · 1965 AA
~3 min read
Article
1191 Alfaterna, provisional designation 1931 CA, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 43 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 11 February 1931, by Italian astronomer Luigi Volta at the Observatory of Turin in northwestern Italy. The asteroid was named for the ancient Roman town of Nuceria Alfaterna.
Orbit and classification