Basics
Class: Ch-type asteroid
Location: Main belt
Orbit length (approx): 4.61 years
Discovered: 22nd May 1856 (time unknown), from Paris, France, by Hermann Goldschmidt.
Notes: Large asteroid of about 174km diameter. One moon, Peneius, named after Daphne’s river god father.
Events at time of discovery:
- May 15 – Birth of L. Frank Baum, American author, poet, playwright, actor and independent filmmaker
- May 21 – Sacking of Lawrence: Lawrence, Kansas, is captured and burned by pro-slavery forces.
- May 22 – Caning of Charles Sumner: United States Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beats Senator Charles Sumner with a cane in the hall of the United States Senate for a speech Sumner had made attacking pro-slavery Southerners, especially elderly South Carolina Senator Andrew Butler, a relative of Brooks. Sumner is unable to return to duty for three years while he recovers; Brooks becomes a hero across the South.
Naming information
Name origin: Greek Naiad who became the laurel tree sacred to Apollo.
Mythology: Daphne was loved by the god Apollo, who pursued her until she grew exhausted and cried out to Gaia for help. The goddess transformed her into a laurel tree which Apollo then adopted as his sacred plant; Thessalian laurel was brought to his shrine at Delphi during a festival. The Delphians also had a closely related myth about a certain Daphnis who they describe as the Oreiad-nymph prophetess of Gaia at the shrine before Apollo assumed control.
 |
| Apollo and Daphne, a life-sized marble sculpture made between 1622 and 1625 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680), depicting the initial stage of Daphne’s transformation into a laurel tree. Housed at Galleria Borghese, Rome; photo by Architas. |
Astrological data
Discovery degree: 3+ Virgo (90% approx probability)
Discovery Sabian: Black and White Children Play Together Happily
Discovery nodal signature: Virgo–Aries
Estimated orbital resonances: Mercury 1:19, Venus 2:15, Mars 6:13, Ceres 1:1, Jupiter 13:5, Saturn 19:3, Chiron 11:1
Discovery chart details: Noon. Daphne was semi-sextile Mars and quincunx Jupiter, with the two in opposition. Minor T-square between Chiron, Pluto-Asbolus and Neptune; minor grand trine between Nessus, Asbolus and Eris. Stellia in Taurus and Gemini. Mercury was sextile the North Node; Pholus square the Nodes. Mercury semi-square Chariklo; Venus semi-sextile Ceres; Mars sesquiquadrate and Jupiter semi-square Juno. Saturn square Sedna; Uranus semi-square Nessus.
Summary and references
Amable suggests Daphne represents being able to spot incompatibilities that might initially go unnoticed[1]. Could also imply courage, intellectual and magical arts, earth power, divine grace, unrequited love or clear vision.
References:
1) Amable: (41) Daphne
 |
| Noon discovery chart for (41) Daphne: 22nd May 1856, Paris, France. |