Q156051

Also known as (638) Moira, Moira

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: Joel Hastings Metcalf
Discovery site: Taunton, Massachusetts
Discovery date: 5 May 1907
Pronunciation: / ˈ m ɔɪ r ə /
Named after: Moirae
Alternative designations: 1907 ZQ

~1 min read

Article

638 Moira, also known as A907 JG, is a minor planet orbiting the Sun. First observed in 1906, 638 Moira was discovered to be an orbital body in 1907 by Joel Hastings Metcalf in Taunton, England. 638 Moira is a little over 59.5 km across and rotates once every 10 hours. Its farthest point from the sun is a little over 3au during its 4.5 year orbit, and it is classed as an L-type asteroid (SMASSII).

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