Q151056

Also known as (322) Phaeo, Phaeo

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: A. Borrelly
Discovery site: Marseille Obs.
Discovery date: 27 November 1891
Pronunciation: / ˈ f iː oʊ /
Named after: Φαιώ Phaiō , (Greek mythology)
Minor planet category: main-belt · ( middle ) , Phaeo

~1 min read

Article

322 Phaeo is an asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 27 November 1891, by French astronomer Alphonse Borrelly at the Marseille Observatory in southern France. The presumably metallic X-type asteroid is the principal body of the Phaeo family and has a rotation period of 17.6 hours. It was named for the Greek mythological figure Phaeo, one of the Hyades or nymphs. Several other asteroids were named for other of the Hyades – 193 Ambrosia, 158 Koronis, 217 Eudora, and 308 Polyxo.

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