orbit a centre of mass in contact with each other (the full details of this research are available from the CURE at LACC web site[^4]). This physical characterization is consistent with the battered surface suggested by radar data.

Numerical computations by Mikkola et al. (2004) soon revealed that 2002 VE$_{68}$ is moving in a 1:1 mean motion resonance with Venus; more specifically, the asteroid is a quasi-satellite of Venus. As such, 2002 VE$_{68}$ is not a real, gravitationally bound satellite but from Venus point of view, the object appears to travel around it over the course of a Venusian year although it actually orbits the Sun. Venus has no known satellites: Sheppard & Trujillo (2009) completed a survey in search for satellites but no actual moons down to about 0.3 km in radius were detected. At the time of its identification as quasi-satellite of Venus, the arc length of 2002 VE$_{68}$ was only 24 days so that its orbit was not yet well known. The orbit has been improved significantly over the years and now it has an arc length of 2,947 days; besides, 2002 VE$_{68}$ has also been observed by radar (Ostro & Giorgini 2004; Benner et al. 2008). 