Q146513
Also known as (198) Ampella, Ampella
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
- A. Borrelly
- Discovery date
- 13 June 1879
- Pronunciation
- / æ m ˈ p ɛ l ə /
- Named after
- Ampelos
- Alternative designations
- A879 LA; 1957 YA 1
- Minor planet category
- Main belt
Article
198 Ampella is a Main belt asteroid that was discovered by Alphonse Borrelly on June 13, 1879. The name seems to be the feminine form of Ampelos, a satyr and good friend of Dionysus in Greek mythology. It could also derive from the Ampelose (plural of Ampelos), a variety of hamadryad. It is an S-type asteroid.
So far Ampella has been observed occulting a star once, on November 8, 1991, from New South Wales, Australia.