(12973) Melanthios Jupiter Trojan
Discovered on 19 September 1973 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T. at Palomar.
Melanthios was a goat herder of Odysseus. He mocked Odysseus when the latter came to Eumaios disguised as a beggar. Later Odysseus killed him.Naming citation (20000523/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Melanthios is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Melanthios is 5.38 au from the Sun and 6.37 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 12973 |
| Provisional designation | 1973 SY1 |
| Orbit class | Jupiter Trojan |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 11.52 |
| Orbital period | 11.6 years |
| Semi-major axis | 5.12 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 4.83 – 5.41 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0573 |
| Inclination | 5.74° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 3.83 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 19 September 1973
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