Q157172
Also known as (801) Helwerthia, Helwerthia
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
- Max Wolf
- Discovery site
- Heidelberg Observatory
- Discovery date
- 20 March 1915
- Alternative designations
- 1915 WQ; A924 OD;, 1925 RG; 1970 GS1
- Observation arc
- 101.08 yr (36918 d)
- Aphelion
- 2.8087 AU (420.18 Gm )
Article
801 Helwerthia is a C-type asteroid orbiting in the Main belt near the Eunomia family. However, it is not a family member but an un-related interloper in the region because its composition is inconsistent with membership. Its diameter is about 33 km, its albedo around 0.038. An international team of astronomers observed this minor planet photometrically in 2012, determining a rotation period of 23.93±0.01 h with an amplitude of 0.15±0.03 in magnitude.
References