Q154546

Also known as (462) Eriphyla, Eriphyla

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: M. F. Wolf
Discovery site: Heidelberg Obs.
Discovery date: 22 October 1900
Pronunciation: / ɛr ɪ ˈ f aɪ l ə /
Named after: Eriphyle , (Greek mythology)
Alternative designations: A900 UJ · 1927 CP, 1946 DB · 1948 OG, 1951 EA 3 · 1957 KB, 1958 RR · 1959 WB, A896 YA · A907 BB, 1900 FQ

~3 min read

Article

462 Eriphyla /ɛrɪˈfaɪlə/ (prov. designation: A900 UJ or 1900 FQ) is a Koronian asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory on 22 October 1900. The stony S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 8.7 hours and measures approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) in diameter. It was named after Eriphyle, from Greek mythology.

Orbit and classification