Basics
Class: Cold cubewano
Location: Kuiper belt
Orbit length (approx): 290.74 years
Discovered: 18th April 1999, 04:55 UTC, from Kitt Peak Observatory, AZ, by the Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES)
Notes: Michael Brown has estimated Deucalion’s diameter at 131 km.
Events at time of discovery:
- April 18 – Death of Setsuko Migishi, 94, Japanese Yōga painter
- – Death of Vicente Escrivá, 85, Spanish film director, producer and screenwriter
- April 20 – Columbine High School massacre: Two Littleton, CO, teenagers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, open fire on their teachers and classmates, killing 12 students and 1 teacher, and then themselves.
Naming information
Name origin: Greek mythological king.
Mythology: Deukalion, along with his wife Pyrrha, daughter of Pandora, lived in the northern reaches of Greece. Zeus, angered by the impiety of humankind at the time, sent the Great Deluge. Prometheus warned Deukalion and Pyrrha of the impending apocalypse and they survived by mounting a chest and reaching the dry peaks of Mount Parnassos. Once the waters receded, the couple consulted the Delphic Oracle on how to repopulate the earth; they were told to cast the bones of their mother over their shoulders. Realising the bones referred to were rocks (bones of Gaia), they did so; those thrown by Deukalion became men and Pyrrha’s became women. Meanwhile, their descendants went on to rule most of the Greek kingdoms and many gave their names to regions or tribes.
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| Engraving by Virgil Solis depicting Deucalion and Pyrrha, from a 1562 version of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. |
Astrological data
Discovery degree: 24+ Libra
Discovery Sabian: The Sight of an Autumn Leaf Brings to a Pilgrim the Sudden Revelation of the Mystery of Life and Death
Discovery nodal signature: Taurus–Scorpio
Estimated orbital resonances: Neptune 4:7, Pluto 6:7
Discovery chart details: New phase chart with Chiron and Juno-Pluto rising and Venus descending. Stellium in Aries/5th. Ceres sextile, Eris trine and Chariklo conjunct North Node. Moon quincunx Pholus; Mercury semi-square Sedna and square Nessus. Venus quincunx Mars; Mars opposite Saturn; Jupiter semi-sextile Sedna. Ceres semi-square Saturn; Uranus semi-square Nessus; Ceres sesquiquadrate Neptune. Vesta trine Pluto; Juno semi-square Pholus; Chariklo square Asbolus.
Summary and references
Meanings offered so far include: being overwhelmed or flooded, deus ex machina, renewal, starting over, advance warning of difficulties, strong or highly developed moral code[1]; cold, tough or brutal nature, ordeals, rejection, accomplishments and talents, survivalism, ships, diving, salvage or treasure, inundation with negativity[2]; backup support that allows restoration after a catastrophic failure[3]; the need to create a new culture (both individually and collectively) amid perils that test human endurance, symbology of Aquarius[4]; magic of manifestation, resourcefulness, understanding the flow of life or difficulty keeping pace, financial ability or irresponsibility, feeling the burden of humanity[5].
References:
1) Alex Miller: Deucalion 53311
2) Mark Andrew Holmes: Deucalion
3) Amable: (53311) Deucalion
4) Kirsti Melto: New Moon in Scorpio – November 15, 2020
5) Philip Sedgwick: New Dwarf Planets, Eris, Sedna, Centaurs & More
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| Discovery chart for (53311) Deucalion: 18th April 1999, 04:55 UTC, Tucson, AZ. |