Taurus node

Minor planets with their North Node in Taurus at discovery.

15th century manuscript miniature illustration of Eris throwing the golden apple at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, from Jean Miélot's L'Epître d'Othéa.
Aries discovery, Dwarf planets, Focus On, Scattered disk objects, Trans-Neptunian objects

Focus On: (136199) Eris

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Name origin: Greek goddess or personified spirit (daimona) of strife, discord, contention and rivalry. Eris was often portrayed specifically as the daimona of the strife of war, haunting the battlefield and delighting in human bloodshed. Because of Eris’ disagreeable nature she was the only goddess not to be invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. When she turned up anyway and was refused admittance, she raged and threw in the golden apple that famously led to the Trojan War. She was closely identified with Enyo, the goddess of war and a close companion of Ares.

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The Doric Temple of Hephaestus, at the Agora of Athens, Greece.
Apollo group, Aries discovery, Asteroids, Focus On, Near-Earth objects

Focus On: (2212) Hephaistos

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Name origin: Greek god of blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metallurgy, fire, and volcanoes. He became renowned for his skill at craftsmanship; several of his myths involve his works for gods and mortals.

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Detail from portrait of Queen Desideria of Sweden (1830) by Fredric Westin.
Asteroids, Focus On, Main belt objects, Taurus discovery

Focus On: (344) Desiderata

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Name origin: Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary (1777-1860), Queen of Sweden and Norway from 1818 to 1844 as the wife of King Charles XIV John. Her name was officially changed to Desideria in Sweden, and she initially travelled there as crown princess. Unhappy in her new home and finding the change of etiquette difficult, she returned to Paris ostensibly for health reasons and lived incognito.

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1650 etching in colour displaying a view of Toulouse from the west and noting its status as capital of the former French province Languedoc.
Asteroids, Focus On, Inner main belt objects, Main belt objects, Sagittarius discovery

Focus On: (138) Tolosa

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Name origin: Toulouse in France, where the asteroid was discovered. Schmadel says the city was celebrated for the cultivation of the sciences; it is home to one of the oldest universities in Europe (founded in 1229) and several prestigious higher education schools, most notably in aerospace engineering.

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Marble relief featuring Leto with Zeus and their children, 420-410 BC, held at the Archaeological Museum of Brauron in Greece.
Asteroids, Focus On, Main belt objects, Scorpio discovery

Focus On: (68) Leto

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Name origin: Greek goddess of motherhood. Leto was one of the Titanides, a bride of Zeus, and the mother of the twins Artemis and Apollo. Alongside her children, she was a protectress of the young. Her name and iconography suggest she also represented modesty and demure womanhood.

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Detail of Themis with scales: sculpture at Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan.
Asteroids, Focus On, Main belt objects, Outer main belt objects, Themistian family, Virgo discovery

Focus On: (24) Themis

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Name origin: Greek Titan goddess of divine law and order. Themis presides specifically over the traditional rules of conduct first established by the gods. She was also a prophetic goddess who presided over the most ancient oracles, including Delphi.

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