Q136910

Also known as (1196) Sheba, Sheba

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: C. Jackson
Discovery site: Johannesburg Obs.
Discovery date: 21 May 1931
Pronunciation: / ʃ iː b ə /
Named after: Queen of Sheba , (Biblical figure)
Alternative designations: 1931 KE · A912 BB

~2 min read

Article

1196 Sheba, provisional designation 1931 KE, is a metallic asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 25 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 21 May 1931 by astronomer Cyril Jackson at Johannesburg Observatory, South Africa.

Sheba is a metallic X-type asteroid and orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.2–3.1 AU once every 4 years and 4 months (1,581 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.18 and an inclination of 18° with respect to the ecliptic. It was first identified as A912 BB at Heidelberg Observatory in 1912. The body's observation arc, however, begins at Johannesburg, four months after its official discovery observation.