Q156450

Also known as (680) Genoveva, Genoveva

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: August Kopff
Discovery site: Heidelberg
Discovery date: 22 April 1909
Alternative designations: 1909 GW
Observation arc: 106.97 yr (39070 d)
Aphelion: 4.0692 AU (608.74 Gm )

~1 min read

Article

680 Genoveva is a minor planet orbiting the Sun. It was named after the play Genoveva by Friedrich Hebbel. The name may have been inspired by the asteroid's provisional designation 1909 GW, as W is pronounced 'v' in German, as is V in Latinate names such as 'Genoveva'.

References