Numerous asteroids in our solar system have the names of legendary Greek characters. These celestial objects recall the diverse cast of people and events that comprise Greek mythology. Personalities from the Trojan War inspired the naming of the Jupiter trojans named after the legendary Greek warrior Achilles, the 588 Achilles was the first to be found. Characters like Hektor and Patroclus, who appear in The Iliad as well, are two more instances. This system of naming asteroids was established by the discovery of Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta in the early nineteenth century. The International Astronomical Union still uses Greek mythology for asteroid naming.
Contents
A
- Admete — Mycenaean princess
- Admetus — King of Pherae
- Adonis — Mortal lover of Aphrodite and Persephone
- Aethra — Wife of the Oceanids
- Akamas — Mother of Theseus
- Alcestis — Princess in Greek mythology
- Alcmene — Mother of Heracles
- Althaea — Mythical daughter of Thestius
- Amphiaraus — Mythical seer and king
- Amykos — Centaur
- Andromache — Wife of Hector
- Anius — Mythical king of Delos
- Antigone — A Theban princess
- Anticlea — Daughter of Autolycus
- Antinous — Lover of Roman emperor Hadrian
- Antiope — Amazon
- Antiope — Daughter of Nycteus
- Arachne — Challenged Athena to a weaving contest
- Arete — the Queen of the Phaeacians
- Ariadne — Cretan Princess
- Arsinoe — Nurse of Orestes
- Astyanax — Mythical son of Hector
- Atalanta — A heroine
B
- Baucis
- Bellerophon
- Bianor — Centaur
- Briseis
- Byblis
C
- Cadmus
- Calchas (Mythical seer)
- Capaneus (Son of Hipponous)
- Capys (King of Dardania, Troy)
- Cassandra (Trojan priestess)
- Cerberus
- Circe (Ancient Greek goddess)
- Clytemnestra (Wife of Agamemnon)
- Clytie (Beloved of Apollo)
- Crethon (Mythical son of Diocles)
- Creusa (Daughter of Creon)
- Charybdis
- Chimera
- Chromios (Son of Priam)
- Chryseis
- Chrysothemis (Daughter of Agamemnon)
- Cyllarus (Centaur)
D
- Daedalus
- Danaë
- Deianira
- Dolius
E
- Echion (Son of Portheus)
- Eetion
- Elatos (Centaur)
- Electra (Mycenae)
- Endymion
- Epeius (Son of Panopeus)
- Erigone (Daughter of Icarius)
- Eriphyle
- Europa (Daughter of Agenor)
- Eurybates (Herald of Odysseus)
- Eurycleia
G
- Ganymede
- Gorgythion
H
- Hecuba
- Hector
- Helena
- Hermione (Daughter of Menelaus)
- Hippocoön (Son of Hyrtacus)
- Hylonom
- Hypsipyle
I
- Iason (or Jason)
- Idaeus (Son of Dares)
- Idomeneus
- Icarus
- Ino
- Iphigenia
- Ismene (Daughter of Oedipus)
- Ixion (King of the Lapiths)
L
- Lamia
- Laodice (Daughter of Priam)
- Laocoön
- Laomedon
- Leda
- Leitus
- Leonteus (Son of Coronos)
M
- Machaon
- Medea
- Medusa
- Meges
- Meriones
- Midas
- Minos
- Myrrha
N
- Nausicaa
- Neleus (Son of Poseidon)
- Nephele (Cloud)
- Niobe
- Nireus
O
- Oicles
- Ocyroe (Daughter of Chiron)
- Orpheus
- Orthrus
P
- Pandora
- Patroclus
- Peirithous
- Peleus
- Peneleus
- Penelope
- Penthesilea
- Phaethon
- Phaedra
- Phaegus (Son of Dares)
- Philoctetes
- Philomela
- Polyxena (Daughter of Priam)
- Polyxo (Wife of Nycteus)
- Prokne
- Protogeneia (Daughter of Deucalion)
- Pythia
R
- Rhadamanthus
S
- Sarpedon (Iliad)
- Semele
- Sinon
- Sisyphus
- Scylla
- Sthenelus (Son of Capaneus)
T
- Talos (Giant)
- Talthybius
- Tantalus
- Tecmessa (Daughter of Teleutas)
- Thereus
- Thersites
- Thymoetes
- Tithonus
- Troilus (Son of Priam)
- Tros Typhon